Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Three Sisters ❯ Intimate Therapy ( Chapter 8 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Imported From: RAAC
From: Frederick Herriot <fherriot@yahoo.com>

"How are they, Toofuu-sensei?"

Toofuu steps out of the examination room, staring at Tsubasa as the latter
sets a fashion magazine aside. "Well, outside of resetting their bones, then
splinting their ankles and wrists into place to give them mobility, I can't do
much for them, Tsubasa-san. Unless..." a bemused smile crosses the
chiropractor's face.

Tsubasa's cheeks redden slightly. "Gomen ne. That sort of therapy only
works best with one's chosen life-mate or would-be life-mate. One such as I
would have to be a true healer before I could do this to near-strangers like
them. Oh, did you...?"

"Yes...and no, she's not," Toofuu nods.

"Alright. I better go talk to them."

With that, Tsubasa steps into the examination room. At present, three
dishevelled, bruised Furinkan High students sit on side-by-side beds, the gloom
hanging over them almost palatable. Sympathy washes over the assistant coach
as she draws up a chair, to sit down across from Akemi Uzuki, the Furinkan
rhythmic gymnastics martial arts team captain. "How are you?!"

They jolt, staring wide-eyed at the newcomer, then sad smiles cross their
faces. "Thank you for helping us, Kurenai-sensei," Kyooko Tomou gently greets
Tsubasa. "I only wish the members of your school's team were as honourable as
you are."

"I've only been working there for two days, actually...and please,
minna-chan, call me Tsubasa," Tsubasa gently smiles, then turns to Akemi. "How
are you doing, Akemi-chan?"

Akemi jolts, then shudders. "How did you know?"

"As I said before, I have a special ability when it comes to reading other
people," Tsubasa replies. "It's...similar to what Toofuu-sensei uses to help
diagnose his patients. At least you can be thankful that you don't have to
live with the results of your 'payment' to that fellow from Tannin for the rest
of your life."

"I had protection," Akemi mutters, then winces.

Yagami Mizuho stares at her. "How could you do that sort of thing,
Akemi-chan?! Was this creep really THAT bad?!"

"Hai, Yagami-chan...and then some," Akemi sighs.

"Agreed. When he and his pals attacked 'Dachi and I, I got a nice cut up
here," Tsubasa reaches up to reveal the light scar on her forehead above her
left eye, "...as a result."

"It's almost healed!" Kyooko gapes.

"I'm a pretty fast healer, too," Tsubasa lets her hair down, then sighs.
"Well, we've got a bit of a problem now. Even with what Toofuu-sensei could do
for you, none of you are in shape to face off against the St. Hebereke team
next week."

"If, of course, they'll let us recover," Yagami notes, then winces before
bowing her eyes. "Sumimasen..."

"Daijobu desu yo, Yagami-chan," Tsubasa smiles. "You had every right to
say something like that given the way my friends've dealt with their foes
before I came to work at St. Hebereke. And yes, I am serious when I said that
I am moving to change that. I really wanted this to be a fair contest for both
sides, ladies. Do you think you can find someone to take your place by the
time the tournament comes up? I think I can convince the organizers to make it
a single one-on-one match given that yours is a small team."

"We're the only ones who practice this full time at Furinkan,
Tsubasa-san," Akemi admits, then hums. "Wait a minute..."

"Nani?" Kyooko wonders.

Akemi jolts, then snaps her fingers. "We could ask Akane!"

The others hum. Tsubasa keeps her peace, though she has a pretty good
idea who the Furinkan girls are talking about given what she had sensed about
what goes on in Nerima from Kodachi and Tatewaki. "She's not as athletic as
I'd like, Akemi..." Yagami warns, then blinks. "Oi!! What about the Saotome
girls?!"

"Yeah, they're in fantastic shape!!! I saw Ranko-san in the showers one
day!! Cripes, I'd KILL for a body like that!!!" Kyooko quakes excitedly, then
hums. "There's that Chinese girl, too!!"

"Looks like we're not out of the contest yet!" Akemi nods. "Yoshi!!
Alright, let's head over there and talk it over!"

"That's wonderful!" Tsubasa sighs, rising to leave. "Look, I'll keep my
crew under a tight leash for the next while, but you better promise me to be on
your best behaviour, okay?!"

"Hai!!" the Furinkan gymnasts readily nod.

"Yokatta (Wonderful)!" Tsubasa nods, then stares intently at Akemi. "You
dodged a bullet today, Akemi-chan. You might not be so lucky about it next
time. Promise me you'll be careful, okay?!"

Akemi jolts, then her eyes water. "Hai, I promise."

"Great! Have a good night, girls!" Tsubasa waves.

She steps out. Akemi, Kyooko and Yagami watch her go, then sigh. "Wow, I
wish she was working for us!" the latter muses.

"Amen to that..." Kyooko grins...

* * *

"Three Sisters"
by Fred Herriot
fherriot@yahoo.com
**** **** ****
Edited by E.B. Kushnir <kush1@iaw.on.ca>
With C&C by Kevin D. Hammel <khammel@pacbell.net>, Robert Geiger
<robertgeiger@prodigy.net> and Robert Masters <rdm@perv.DAILix.oz.au>
**** **** ****
Based on "Ranma 1/2" created by Rumiko Takahashi
**** **** ****

PART EIGHT - INTIMATE THERAPY

"Tadaima!!"

"Okaeri ne!" Ranma looks up from the guest house's kitchen, then smiles as
Nabiki, Ranko, Kikuko and Shampoo stream inside. "Thanks for bringing our
stuff! Sorry we took off like that..."

"You had every right to get away when you did, Nee-chan," Ranko smirks as
the bookbags are set aside, then everyone sits down around the dining table.
"Believe it or not, Kunou-bakayaro tried to attack us AGAIN after you dunked
him outta the classroom just as last period was letting out. Geez, with the
amount of crap we're heaping on him, the guy's gotta be as tough as Ryouga!!"

"Idiot..." Ranma shakes her head as Shampoo walks up to take turns
monitoring their dinner, then walks over to sit at the table. "That's FIVE
times today alone for him!! What gives...?!"

"And this AFTER what Elder Ryooko did?! That man needs help!" Kikuko
shakes her head, then sighs. "Where's Akane-chan?"

"Asleep. U-chan's watching over her. We're gonna give her the chance to
collect herself, then we'll finally get the story out of her," Ranma takes a
breath, then turns to her sisters. "Not a word of this to the old folks,
okay?! I'm not sure how Kaa-san's going to react on hearing this, much less
Oyaji..."

"Agreed," Ranko and Kikuko nod.

The door to Ranma's bedroom opens, revealing Ukyou. "How is she, Ukyou?"
Shampoo wonders as the chef sits down beside Ranma.

"Dreaming," the chef sits down at the dinner table. "Bad dreams. The
type which reminded me of how my old school died."

Nabiki stares at her, shivering. "How does...?"

"It compare to A-chan being raped?" Ukyou returns her look, then sighs.
"How would anyone feel about being raped, 'Biki? The loss of control. No
sense of justice. The complete...WRONGNESS of it. The helplessness.
The...sense of unworthiness..." her voice trails off, then, "When one of us
suddenly becomes a wanderer, we feel the very same emotions. I come from a
school of twelve, 'Biki. I'm the last of that school. They...they were going
to fight some non-corporeal entity...like a soul-vampire...feeding from this
one village on a planet...geez, in another galaxy. I...oh, Mother, I begged,
PLEADED, with them to let me be with them. But I was the bard, the one the
Mother chose to carry my school's story back to the Great School if need be.
But...maybe, maybe if I was part of them, my school...m-my family...could've
survived..." her voice breaks, then she sighs. "Oh, damn..."

"How long ago was that, Ukyou?" Shampoo whispers respectfully.

"Almost five hundred years ago," Ukyou shakes her head.

Nabiki and Shampoo shudder. "Gods, alone for THAT long...?" the former
hoarsely exclaims, then bows her head. "Why...why do you people do this? Go
fight all these things, ready to die...?!"

Ukyou sighs, then stares at her. "If we didn't do it, 'Biki, who WOULD do
it? You know...there're Great Schools in the Cosmic Chain of Life that were
blessed with great physical or spiritual power. There are other Great Schools
who're not so blessed. Each Great School develops at different speeds in
comparison to others. Because of that, your Great School can hardly travel to
your own moon while most of your galactic neighbours have warp capability. You
wanna know something, 'Biki? When you have a situation like that, it's almost
guaranteed that the 'superior' race would move to impose themselves on the
'inferior' race. It's always happened."

"Even with good intentions, Nee-san," Kikuko adds. "You have two Great
Schools meet out there somewhere. One is very advanced, one not so advanced.
The more advanced school introduces concepts and ideas the less advanced school
can't really handle for whatever reason. And it hurts them, physically and
spiritually. But unless the more advanced school has the right foresight...and
they RARELY do in situations like that, Nee-san...people get hurt. That's why
we go forth to fight. The Unity is for ALL living beings, Nee-san, not just
the select few who made it into space first."

Nabiki blinks, then sighs. "Some could say you're interfering by taking
up other people's battles."

"Perhaps, but when you compare our actions to the actions of those like
the Lannarkites..." Ranma spits out disgustedly, then she relaxes, "...the
difference often's like day and night."

"I remember when I visited this one place after my school passed into the
dark," Ranko purses her lips, then gazes at Nabiki. "There's this race...well,
they're a race of hunters, put simply. But these guys hunt other sentient
beings for sport...sorta like a really perverse test of manliness or something
like that."

"Oh, I know those guys!! Shit, arrogant or what?!" Ranma sneers.
"Kiku-chan and I took out another of them on this other planet...cripes,
Ko-chan, this must've been just before we met!"

Nabiki looks ready to vomit. "They...HUNT people?!"

"Yeah, they do!" Ranko nods. "Well, the creep I took on had never bumped
into a Nendo-kata before...so when it dawned on him that I was going to be a
challenge, he thought, 'Oh, this is the hunt of a lifetime! Wait until I tell
all my friends about this one!'" A snort escapes her. "He never got the
chance."

"You did a good thing, Airen," Shampoo nods approvingly.

"Yeah...and strange as this'll sound, Xian, he didn't hate me when he
died," Ranko's gaze turns tranquil. "Before he slipped into the dark...he
looked at me and said, 'Good fight.' To him, he was dying with his honour
intact because I treated him fairly. And I reflected on it...and I thought to
myself, 'What a damned shame they don't think to do the same thing to those
they hunt.'"

Nabiki takes a deep breath, then sighs. "Could you please change the
topic, Ko-chan, minna..."

They look on her. "Now you see your problem," Ranma sighs.

"What the fuck does THAT mean?!!" Nabiki snaps.

"Simple," Ranma remains calm. "Your mom died when you were thirteen or
so. Nabiki, I grieve for you, all of you. All of you grieved in your own way,
came to terms with what happened...which is natural, by the way...and then
Akane gets raped. Then look what happens. Your dad falls apart, Kasumi cuts
herself off totally from the outside world, you decide you're gonna get them
before they get you...and not one of you ever thinks of trying to help Akane
deal with all the horrible things she felt. She's your SISTER!! Your little
baby sister, for cryin' out loud!! How could you just ABANDON her like that,
Nabiki?!"

Nabiki bolts back, her eyes flashing with outrage at the venom of Ranma's
accusation, then her control cracks as tears spill down her cheeks. "None of
us...knew how, Ranma...!" she exclaims, then rises, running out of the house
before they could hear her sobs.

The others watch her go, then sigh. "Who's gonna call Elder Ryooko?"
Ukyou rises, heading to the stove.

"I'll call her," Kikuko rises, heading out.

Ranma exhales, then shakes her head before sensing Shampoo staring at her.
"What is it, Xian?"

"That was very hard for you to do, wasn't it?" Shampoo smiles.

"Yeah," Ranma nods.

"Hibaa-chan was right all along," the Nyu-che-zuu warrior sighs, heading
to her bedroom. "You have to watch out for that, Ranma. Helping people is
good and noble in and of itself but helping them too much hurts worse than not
helping at all."

She heads off, Ranko following her. Ranma watches them leave, then sighs,
staring at the table. A meow causes her to jolt, then she turns to see a cat
standing by the open patio door. Shivering lightly, she sighs, beckoning the
furry visitor inside. "Hi, there, friend..." she breathes out as the cat hops
into her lap, then snuggles close. "You guys are so lucky compared to us."

The cat purrs, leaning up to lick Ranma's cheek...

* * *

"So what happened to Akane?"

Kasumi stares concernedly at Kikuko as both relax in the living room of
the Tendou home. Souun was presently off visiting Genma and Nodoka at their
home while Nabiki had barred herself in her room. "She...lost control today,
Onee-san...and Kunou was very quick to capitalize on it. Like it or not, she
has to really work hard at the Art from now on if she really wants to earn the
respect she craves as a martial artist...and that's not to mention resolve what
happened four years ago in her mind and heart."

Kasumi tenses, then closes her eyes. Kikuko stares at her, then smiles,
reaching over to grip her sister's hand. "It's alright, Nee-san," she soothes.
"You all need this."

"I..." the older Tendou daughter squeezes her eyes shut, then she sniffs
back her tears. "Oh, gods, how could such people exist in this world, Kikuko?
How could...how could they do that to her? All she wanted was to visit places
where she and Kaa-san had such wonderful times...and then...and then..." she
shudders, forcing the palms of her hands into her eye sockets. "Kaa-san..."

Kikuko slides over to draw Kasumi into an embrace. "It's alright,
Nee-san. Let it out. Let it out, please..."

Sobs steal Kasumi's voice as she holds onto Kikuko tightly, words barely
audible in that heart-wrenching moan escaping her. Closing her eyes, Kikuko
concentrates, her powers reaching out gently to touch those parts of Kasumi's
memories concerning Kimiko and Akane. An image flashes through her mind, then
she smiles, concentrating as she senses a quick burst towards Ranma.

At that moment, Kasumi stops shaking, she sitting up to gaze quizzically
at Kikuko. "Wh-...what did you just do?" she stammers.

Kikuko bows her eyes apologetically. "Sumimasen, Onee-san. I didn't mean
to pry like that...but I think Ranma-neesan would like to do something tonight
to help Akane-chan start to heal."

Kasumi blinks, then her eyes widen understandingly. "The swings in the
park several blocks away from here?"

"Exactly."

The older Tendou daughter considers that, then she nods. "Yes, that would
be good for her, I think."

Kimiko smiles, then sighs, gently squeezing Kasumi's hands. "Now, let's
do something for you, Onee-san..."

* * *

"Hello, Nabiki."

Nabiki jolts, then spins around to see a tall woman standing by her open
window, dressed in a familiar orange tunic and black track pants, a
tiger-striped bandanna wrapped around and through her close-cropped hair. She
then takes several deep breaths before calming herself. "Ryooko-san...jeez,
how'd you...?"

"Your window was open," the dreamweaver chuckles amusedly as she walks
over to sit on Nabiki's bed. "I'm sorry, but I think you needed to be shocked
away from sinking yourself too deeply into your own self-pity. Some
introspection is always a very healthy thing to do, too much of it can hurt
badly..."

"Just like not enough hurts," Nabiki sighs. "I assume someone called you
over to talk to us."

"Hai, Kikuko-chan did," Ryooko nods. "Oh, if you wish to know, my
sister's arrived and she's undergoing the Crossing Over right now. As fortune
would have it, Nii-chan's sister Junko also came by, so she's acting as my
sister's DNA template." A content smile crosses her face. "It appears my
efforts in reuniting my new family are working out much better than expected."

"So the little guy in Ryouga's head'll be free just like Kikuko-chan, eh?
That's wonderful. What'll she call herself?"

"Ameko Hibiki. Oh, she's going to be stirring things up when she's done
the Crossing Over..." her eyes roll over.

"What do you mean?" Nabiki perks up.

"She's...as we say it, 'a little out there.' In other words, she's spent
too long away from any of the Great School...well over eight hundred years, to
be exact," Ryooko shudders.

Nabiki nods understandingly. "That's a long time."

"Very. We were separated when her mother took her out into the Cosmic
Chain of Life and I was taken to train with the others in the School of Sages,"
Ryooko laments. "Shortly afterward, her mother...my co-parent...died. Ameko
absorbed all her knowledge and training, then decided to spend time with
herself. Lore Mistresses are like that, but Ameko...went a little too far, I
think."

"'Lore Mistress?' Is she some sort of historian?"

"The same idea applies," Ryooko nods. "I deal with the 'what can be.'
Ameko deals with the 'what was.'"

"Soo ka," Nabiki sighs. "You know, Ranma and the others were talking
about...all the crap they went through fighting for this Unity you believe
in...jeez, how can you live through all that...?"

"We do because we feel it's the right thing to do, Nabiki," Ryooko smiles.
"In essence, if we didn't do it, who would?"

"Yeah, I guess so..." Nabiki takes a deep breath.

Sensing that the middle Tendou daughter felt herself trapped between
falling back on her usual detachment from emotions and wanting to vent herself
free from what happened with Akane...not to mention how the fallout from that
affected Nabiki...Ryooko hums, then walks over to pick up one of Nabiki's
cameras. She jolts, then relaxes on sensing that the dreamweaver had no desire
to destroy it; that camera was damned EXPENSIVE!

"Why do you do this, Nabiki?" Ryooko asks. "Take pictures of Akane, then
sell them to your schoolmates. Why?"

"Believe it or not, it pays the bills for this place," Nabiki frowns
lightly. "I know...it's not right...shit, especially after what Akane went
through...but like it or not, there are people out there who'll pay big time
for pictures of her..."

"Tatewaki, for example."

"Yeah," Nabiki nods. "And since Dad doesn't teach classes in the dojo and
Kasumi works her butt off to keep the place clean and nice, putting meals on
the table, Akane can't work unless it's during the breaks and neither can I..."
she pauses, then sighs.

"Does Akane know of this?"

"I...no, I've never told her," Nabiki shakes her head. "But she's not an
idiot. She's seen pictures of her that I've taken and sold. But...not the
part about my sinking the payment for those pics into the house's budget and
all that, no."

"You best make sure you explain this to her soon. I suspect that if Ranma
does succeed in helping Akane open up more, she'll start to question a lot of
what goes on here, including what you do without her expressed permission.
So..." Ryooko pauses, then asks. "Tell me something, Nabiki. How good are you
with this?"

She taps the camera. Nabiki smiles. "I'd like to think I'm pretty good
with it. Not professional, but I do know a lot of the normal photography
tricks. When I take shots of Akane, for example, I make them look suggestive,
not smutty."

"If Ranma and the others offered to pose for you, would you show them the
same courtesy?" Ryooko wonders.

"Of course I would. They're family now. Much that at times I've had to
do things they may not like, I do have limits!"

"Alright, then," Ryooko hands her the camera, then reaches for her tunic,
hauling it up and over her shoulders.

Nabiki's jaw drops in shock. "Oi, what're you...?"

Ryooko casts the tunic aside, then allows her pants to slip off, revealing
a body now clad in sports bra and plain cotton panties. Nabiki feels her
voice vanish on seeing the trim form before her...no doubt, when she Crossed
Over, Ryooko was able to inherit the prime level of physical fitness Ryouga
possessed, then transplant that onto a female body...then she relaxes on
sensing something wash over her, her whole body shivering from a storm of
goosebumps covering her from head to toe.

Ryooko smiles, then kneels in front of Nabiki, reaching over to stroke the
other's cheek. "You're beautiful, you know that."

Nabiki opens her mouth, then closes it, then opens it again. She shakes
her head, then gazes deeply into Ryooko's eyes. Oh, no! Oh, Kami-sama, no!
Why?! Why THIS of all things...?

"Why me?" she wonders, surprised she was being THIS blunt.

Ryooko hums, then smiles. "Why not you?"

Nabiki blinks, then feels a light smile cross her face. "I'm scared.
I...damn, this would be the...oh, shit..."

"I can teach you a new meaning of 'control,' Nabiki."

The middle Tendou daughter jolts, then stares resentfully at the
dreamweaver before realization dawns, her eyes drooping with embarrassment.
"Shit, forgot about your powers and all that..." she mutters, then sighs. "New
rule: don't lie to an empath."

"Very intelligent idea," Ryooko smiles.

Silence falls as they gaze into the other's eyes, then Nabiki leans over
to gently kiss Ryooko. A hand arcs around to draw Nabiki closer as their
mouths part, their tongues darting in to play with the other. A moment later,
they break away, chests heaving as their eyes burn with a warming passion.
"Ryou-chan?"

"Hai, Nabiki-chan, what is it?"

"Can I..." Nabiki feels her throat dry up, then she takes a gulp to get
new moisture into her mouth. "Take nudes of you?"

Ryooko hums, then smiles. "When you do, Nabiki-chan...will you be naked
as well? It's only fair, you know."

Nabiki gulps, then smiles. "Lucky thing I'm taking them just for myself,"
she whispers as they slide in for another kiss...

* * *

"Hai, Ono Sekkotsu-in (Ono Chiropractic Clinic), Ono desu."

"Konban wa (Good evening), Toofuu-sensei. Tendou Kikuko desu (This is
Kikuko Tendou). Ne, are you busy tonight?"

Toofuu blinks, then hums. "No, not really. Why?"

"How'd you like to go on a date with Kasumi-neesan?"

Silence.

"K-k-k-kasumi...?" Toofuu stammers, his glasses fogging up.

"Toofuu-sensei, I don't think Elder Ryooko'd be in a mood to chaperon you
two," Kikuko gently scolds.

The doctor jolts, stammering, then he feels a surge of steely resolve firm
his spine. "I...w-well, I s-see," he hisses, wishing he didn't sound like a
total idiot. "I...n-no, I'm not busy."

"Soo desu ka. Yokatta (Wonderful)! I'll have Kasumi-neesan come down to
see you around eight, alright?"

"I...um...s-sure!" Toofuu stammers.

"Control, Sensei!!"

"Er...h-h-hai!"

"Ja mata."

Click. Dial tone. Toofuu hangs up the phone, then screams out with
delight as he lunges over, grabbing Betty from her rack, then swirling around
his office in a stumbling ballroom waltz...

* * *

Later...

"Oi."

Akane moans, then her eyes flutter as she gazes on a pair of smiling faces
staring at her, soft candles providing illumination. The candles were
vanilla-scented; the smell was something both Ranma and Ukyou had taken a
liking to. "Oi, sleepy-head, feeling a little better?" the latter reaches over
to gently part the raven bangs away from Akane's eyes, then leans down to kiss
her cheek.

"A little..." Akane shifts her arms so she could draw them close, then
turns to peck Ranma, then Ukyou, on the forehead before turning back to the
ceiling. "You know, don't you?"

"Just the...empathic feelings we've sensed from you and your family,
A-chan. Nothing very specific," Ukyou sighs as they shift around to get more
comfortable. "Ran-chan told you that we don't do telepathic probes of people
unless we feel it's absolutely necessary...and that's the truth. We..." she
pauses.

"We want to know what happened...but we won't press you into telling us
until you feel comfortable and ready...and you WANT to tell us," Ranma
finishes, gently grasping Akane's hand. "I can only guess...how horrible it
was for you. U-chan and I've...well, we've never been...raped before, but we
have a good idea of the feelings you endured all those years ago."

"How could you feel like I did, Ranma?"

"How did you feel then, A-chan?" Ukyou probes.

Akane blinks, then a powerful sting rips through her eyes as tears spill
down her cheeks. "Oh, gods..." she whispers hoarsely as images still too fresh
for her liking roar past her mind's eye. "So...like I wasn't human to them!"
she softly yammers. "I felt so unclean, so...like dirt! So dirty,
so...dirty...!" she spits out, then shudders as hands reach up to brush away
her tears, fresh ones soaking her cheeks anew. "I tried to...I tried to fight
them. There were two of them, you see...about our age now, maybe a little
older..." she takes a deep breath. "And me...I was just a little girl...I...I
just couldn't understand it...then..." she grinds her teeth together before
blurting out, "...this...PAIN just ripped through me between my
legs...it...there...just..."

A soft, wailing moan, like the cry of a banshee from Irish myth, escapes
her as she draws her hands to her eyes, grinding them into the sockets in some
futile attempt at damming her tears, then she drops her hands away. "Both of
them...they were laughing and smirking and...I was just meat to them!" she
hisses, her eyes blazing. "They had no care...and then...when it was all
over...they just zipped up their pants and walked away, just LEFT me there..."
a hollow breath escapes her. "No words, just...left!! Just...they...just
left..." new fatigue takes hold of her as she draws the blankets closer to
her.

Ranma and Ukyou gaze on her, then sit up. "Did they ever find either of
these sub-creatures?" the latter wonders.

"No..." Akane barely shakes her head, then she sighs. "I...I told
Toofuu-sensei what happened...and the police, of course. I didn't want to tell
my family...I felt so ashamed..." she wipes her eyes, then reaches down for
their hands. "But Toofuu-sensei told Dad and the others...oh, gods, it
just..."

"It hurt them almost as much as it hurt you," Ranma finishes.

"Yeah. And...here we are, four years later...I...we've become strangers
in our own house, Ranma. My father, my sisters and I..." a strange, pleased
look crosses her face, then she stares at the chestnut-haired woman. "Then you
came, Ranma...and you followed her, U-chan..." she turns to the
chocolate-haired chef, "...and in one beautiful week...I realized I wasn't
alone anymore..."

"You'll never be alone, A-chan," Ukyou assures her.

"I know..." Akane nods. "And I know you'd rather die than go back on
that...and I know...hell, I know above all others how much Fate can be a real
bitch at times...I know I'll grow old with you. I'll look both ways...and
there you'll be. And...now I ask myself this: 'What did I do to deserve
this?!'" she closes her eyes.

"Fate's a fickle thing at times, A-chan," Ukyou hums. "There are
times...especially after losing my family...that I've wondered why I just
didn't...seek out a fight against some creature...just to go out in a blaze of
glory, then meet my mother, my co-parent, my sisters in the Cosmic Chain of
Life..." she wipes her eyes.

"Why didn't you?" Akane wonders.

"Well...unlike here, committing suicide's frowned on BIG time in the
Mother Ocean," Ukyou smirks. "But as I moved from...planet to planet...I
sensed the minds and feelings of the natives of each would I made landfall
on...and in so many cases, they...they were hurting in their own way as much as
I was hurting in mine. And they still went on. Lived their lives, got past
whatever pain pressed down on their hearts...and it was so beautiful to watch
and feel in my own heart...and it gave me the strength to press on."

"Sorta the same with me," Ranma adds. "Like I said once...my 'school'
wasn't even a real school; just six of us. Me, my mom and co-parent, my
sister, Kiku-chan and her mom...Kiku-chan and her mom lost their school
sometime before meetin' us...and then...one day we bumped into
this...dimension-hopping creep who was chasin' some wandering warrior who was
always tryin' to do the right thing...and before Kiku-chan and I knew what was
goin' on, Mom and the others went off...they got that thing, but..." her voice
trails off, then she exhales. "It was the same for us, even after meetin'
Ko-chan. Then we came into this solar system...and that's when I heard my
other-self's death-cry through the Cosmic Chain of Life..."

"And you Crossed Over," Akane finishes.

"Yeah," Ranma nods. "You know...you could ask any Wanderer this...there
were loads of places where Kiku-chan and I could've stopped, sought out a new
life there...but...places just didn't chime with either of us until we came
here. Maybe...that's the Mother's way of telling us to...never forget the duty
we have and seek those...who really need our type of help. Isn't that
funny?"

"I'm glad," Akane contently smiles.

Silence falls, then Ukyou gently squeezes Akane's hand. "Oi, you want to
go somewhere where you can relax, A-chan?"

"Where?"

"Somewhere you once visited with your mom," Ranma muses, then rises.
"C'mon. I think it's time you said good-bye to her."

Akane blinks, then shudders. "But..."

"When you were visiting places like the park...in effect, you were saying
a final good-bye to your mother, A-chan," Ranma smiles, eliciting a pair of
surprised blinks from both Akane and Ukyou. "Then when you were violated so,
you stopped. Now it's time to finish that process...and let your grief go.
C'mon..."

Akane blinks, then nods, rising...

* * *

Minutes later, three young women step out of the guest house, heading to
the front gate and out. Watching them from the window of her room, Nabiki, now
clad in her nightshirt, feels a smile cross her face. By the looks of her,
Akane had a good long cry before setting out with Ranma and Ukyou. She didn't
know what was going to happen next, but Nabiki prayed to the kami to give her
sister the strength to get through it without being hurt more.

Kami-sama and the Mother only know, she'd been hurt enough.

Nabiki jolts, her eyes widening.

What the...?

What had made her suddenly call on the Mother Ocean of all the deities in
the Universe to protect her own sister...?

A hand falls on her shoulder. She turns, then leans into Ryooko's
embrace. "Are you alright?" the dreamweaver wonders.

"You're corrupting me, Ryou-chan," Nabiki warns.

"It's alright. I too pray to the Mother to give your sister the chance to
overcome what happened to her years ago."

"Can you tell what's going on now?"

"No," Ryooko shakes her head. "Even with my position in the Great School,
it's not in any way proper for me to pry into what goes on between your sister
and her chosen ones, Nabiki-chan. If they have problems, Ranma and Ukyou know
when to come to me."

"I hope so," Nabiki sighs, beckoning Ryooko back to bed...

* * *

"Oh, Akane-chan, there you are!!"

Akane turns to watch three women approach, their pained gait indicative of
healing limbs. "Akemi?! Kyooko?! Yagami?! What are you three doing...WHAT
HAPPENED TO YOU?!!" she exclaims on seeing their bandaged wrists and ankles.

"Looks like you three got into a bit of a fight there," Ukyou whistles,
crossing her arms. "Or was it too much practicing?!"

"Well..." Akemi shudders, then sighs. "Gomen ne, Akane-chan, Ranma-san,
Ukyou-san. As...you can see..." she holds up a wrist to show the splints and
bandages there, "...none of us are in any sort of shape to take on St. Hebereke
next week so..."

"We hoped you could..." Kyooko flusters.

"Take your place?" Ranma finishes.

The three gymnasts jolt, then readily nod. Akane sighs, glancing at
Ranma. The chestnut-haired woman crosses her arms, then returns Akane's stare
before shrugging. "Well, we'd like to help you girls out, but Akane here
has...somewhere to go tonight. Could we meet tomorrow at the school about
this?"

"I'll do it if you want," Akane adds.

Akemi, Kyooko and Yagami exchange looks, then nod, their own growing
curiosity burning deep in their eyes. "Alright, that sounds fair enough.
We'll get together before the bell, okay?" the team captain nods, holding up a
finger in understanding.

"Fair enough," Ranma smiles.

They head off. Akane watches them go, then turns quizzically to Ranma.
"Is there something wrong?"

"Something's bothering them," Ranma's eyes narrow. "Something really
awful if what I sensed from Akemi is true..."

"Dangerous?" Akane wonders.

"No, they seem over it now, but it'll haunt them for some time to come,"
Ukyou muses. "C'mon, Ran-chan, A-chan, we'll worry about them tomorrow when
we're at school."

"Ah...o-okay," Akane nods...

* * *

"Konban wa, Toofuu-sensei."

Toofuu jolts, then shudders, his glasses fogging up as he gazes excitedly
at Kasumi, both now standing in the reception lounge of his clinic. "Wh-why,
Kasumi, h-how are you tonight?"

"I'm quite fine, thank you," Kasumi smiles. "Ikumashou (Shall we go)?"
she indicates the door.

"Um...y-yes, of course..."

"Toofuu-sensei, why are you carrying Betty-san with you?"

The chiropractor jolts, then looks down to see the skeleton he keeps in
his clinic tucked under one arm. "Now how on Earth did you get there, Betty?"
he places Betty back on her rack, then turns to Kasumi. "Such a silly girl.
Always sticking her nose into whatever I'm doing. I never get any sort of
peace from her."

"I...see," her eyebrow arches. "Well, we should go, Sensei."

"Ah...um...a-alright," he nods, following her out.

Kasumi is quick to close and lock the clinic down as Toofuu suddenly
strikes up a conversation with a bonsai tree. Watching him out of the corner
of her eye, she tries not to laugh at his antics. Days ago, Ryooko Hibiki
warned the elder Tendou daughter Toofuu's "love madness" stemmed partially from
his inexperience in courting potential life-mates...and partially from the
man's mother and her pressing him to find a decent life-mate so she could have
grandchildren. Tack those outside pressures onto his intensive medical
training (which naturally demanded iron control over his emotions, especially
when it came to purposefully-induced wounds), mix in with a powerful sense of
right and wrong (one of the good things his mother instilled in him), spice in
Kasumi's wholesome beauty and you produce a man wanting things to go right yet
inwardly terrified that one slip up would shatter all his hopes.

Kasumi nudges Toofuu away from the bonsai tree, then directs him towards
the restaurant district. "So how is Shibotsu-san tonight?" she wonders; "Mrs.
Shibotsu" was the bonsai tree.

"Oh, just fine but feeling some arthritis in her joints. I recommended
she take a long soak in a furo, then come see me in the morning," the
chiropractor responds honestly.

"Soo ka..."

* * *

Kikuko watches them go, perched on a nearby rooftop, then she leaps down
to ground level, smiling delightedly. Even though the focus of Toofuu's
attention was drifting in and out of his control thanks to Kasumi's presence,
he was certainly much better than when Kikuko had first met the chiropractor.
Well, one had to build one's immunity gradually when it came to matters like
this. A gentle prod here and there would help them both tremendously...

Eh?!

"RANKO SAOTOME, PREPARE TO DIE!!!!"

Kikuko yelps, dodging right as chained grappling hooks smash into the
pavement, then spins around to see who was leaping at her. "Mousse!" she
exclaims, tensing herself. "Wrong Saotome!!"

Mousse recovers, then adjusts his glasses before focusing on Kikuko's eyes
before relaxing herself. "Oh, Kikuko Saotome, it's you! Where is that tramp
you call a sister?!"

Kikuko's her eyes narrow. "I believe she is now with my *sister-in-law*
in their *marriage* bed, taking wonderful delight in the other's *passionate*
company, Mousse-san. Can't you finally accept what has happened and leave them
be?"

The weapons master jolts, then his eyes burn with rage as Kikuko's message
sinks home. "THAT ALIEN WHORE **DARES** TO DEFLOWER **MY** SHAMPOO?!?!?!
RANKO SAOTOME, PRE-...!!!"

The tip of a wooden cane taps him in the back of his head, sending him
down for the count. Kikuko jolts, then her eyes widen with delight on seeing
who now stood nearby. "Kun-lon-san!!"

"Hello, child, how are you," Cologne smiles as Kikuko walks over to
embrace her, then turns to gaze on Mousse, shaking her head. "I assume he has
been something of a pain to you all."

"Mostly to Ranko-neesan and Xian-san, Elder," Kikuko shakes her head, then
turns to see who had accompanied the Nyu-che-zuu matriarch. "Elder Lo-e!!"
she stiffens, covering her mouth, then moves to apologize. "Sumimasen..."

"Please, Kikuko, don't apologize for my grand-nephew's actions against
your sister and sister-in-law," Aloe clicks her tongue, then stares at the
sleeping Mousse, the disappointment flashing in her eyes quite profound.
"We've obtained some lodgings close by for the next several nights, though
Kun-lon has stated her intention of remaining in this country for the
indeterminable future. If you could come with us, we'll...deal with Mu-tzu
now."

"Should I summon Onee-san and Xian-san?"

"Do so. They will have to attend," Cologne gravely nods.

"Hai, Elder, right away..."

* * *

"Something is happening."

"Eh?!" a drowsy Nabiki opens her eyes, then stares up at Ryooko, both now
in the former's bed, blankets and covers strewn over them. "Is there something
wrong there, Ryou-chan?"

The dreamweaver sits up, her eyes glowing. "Kikuko is sending a message
out to Ranko...eh?!" her eyebrows arch, then the eyes stop glowing. "Well,
isn't that interesting?!"

"What is?" Nabiki sits up.

"Xian-pu's great-grandmother and Mu-tzu's grand-aunt have come to visit.
It appears our rogue weapons master is about to pay the price for his reckless
pursuit of Ranko's life-mate. Get dressed, 'Biki; we should be in
attendance."

"I...ah...alright!" Nabiki nods, rising to dress...

* * *

"How did you know...?"

Akane stares misty-eyed at Ranma and Ukyou, the three now standing at the
entrance to one of the small playgrounds dotting Nerima. "Well..." Ranma hums,
then shrugs. "Kiku-chan asked Kasumi about it and she told her that this was
one of the places you liked to go to with your mother...oh, good!"

"Eh?!" Akane blinks.

Ranma walks her over to a set of swings, Ukyou falling in behind Akane.
The latter, suddenly taking note of where her lovers wanted her to go, stops,
staring at the empty seat as a chill rips through her body. Ranma and Ukyou
pause, concern flashing in their eyes. Did they push this too fast? Reveal
that they knew Akane's darkest secret, then plunged into trying to help her
without giving Akane a chance to fully comprehend what is happening? What...?

Akane blinks, then hesitantly approaches one of the swings, turning
haltingly around before allowing herself to sink onto the wooden seat. Her
hands slip around the chains holding the seat up, gripping them tightly as she
draws them close to her. Ranma and Ukyou remain in place, then both shift to
stand behind Akane. Silence falls over the scene as the Nendo-kata await a
sign, any sign, from Akane as to what next to do. Finally, Akane turns her
head to the darkening sky, her feet being tucked in under the seat.

"P-..."

Ranma and Ukyou reach for Akane's shoulder, then stop as they see her
tense up suddenly, her head drooping.

"K-...kaa-san..."

Tears. Ranma takes a deep breath, then kneels beside Akane. "She's here,
A-chan. She's here..."

"No, she's not, Ranm-...Ran-chan...she's gone..."

"Do you still remember her?" Ukyou wonders.

"H-hai..."

Both rise, then place their hands just under Akane's shoulder blades,
gently pushing forward. Akane gasps suddenly as that warm feeling surges
through her heart, then as she slides out of their reach, cries out delightedly
as her body tilts to better flow with the swing's movement. Back she goes
where now FOUR hands catch her, then push her away again. The cry becomes a
child's laugh as Akane's aches and pains suddenly vanish in the magic of the
moment. For an instant, she is twelve again, enjoying the warm company of
someone who loves her and whom she loves in return. Back she goes, then she
smiles on feeling those hands touch her, slow her falling movement, then shove
her forward again.

"More!!" she cries out. "Harder! Push me harder!!"

"Hai!!" two women respond as Akane reaches the apex of her swing, then
falls back to warm, waiting hands.

Out she goes again.

Back she comes again.

Out.

Back.

Tears mark her passage as she allows her mind, her heart to drift away
from all of today's problems.

Out. Back.

Back to a time when things were simple, when the soft touch of a loved
one, one Akane trusted to the very depths of her soul, could chase even the
most pressing problem away.

Out. Back.

Just the wind, the swing and the hands.

Four hands...

She leans back, then sees the two women waiting to push her again, then
laughs as they do so. "Harder, Ran-chan, U-chan! Harder!!" she calls out as
she swings out again.

"Not too hard, A-chan!" Ukyou smiles. "You don't wanna fall off and skin
your knees there!!"

"I'm okay!!"

Ranma and Ukyou continue to push, all of them laughing...

* * *

"'Zusa, are you alright?"

"Eh?!" Azusa jolts, then turns her head towards the nearby park, a
spoonful of ice cream halfway between her banana split and her mouth. "Oh,
gomen, 'Dachi. I was just sensing...I think it might be Ukyou-san and one of
the Saotome sisters in the park."

Kodachi jolts, then hums. "If my brother's rantings have any truth in
them, Ukyou-san is trying to form a relationship with both Ranma Saotome and
Akane Tendou...oh, sumimasen, Tsu-chan..."

"Genki ne (It's alright), 'Dachi," Tsubasa smiles, then sips her
milkshake. "Strange, though..."

"What is?" the gymnast wonders.

"By the way she feels, Akane-san...seems to have been through some of the
same trials and tribulations you have."

Kodachi blinks, then turns to her tea. "You mean...?"

"It feels like it...but it would be pretty rude to walk up to her and ask
if she was...well, you know," Azusa frowns.

"True," Kodachi nods, sipping her tea...

* * *

"A-chan, you okay?"

Akane hums, leaning back in the swing, her arms interlaced in the chain to
prevent her from falling off, then she looks up into Ukyou's concerned eyes.
"Hmmm...what is it, U-chan?"

"How do you feel?" the chef wonders.

Akane takes a deep breath, then a smile tugs at the corner of her mouth.
"It can't go away all at once..."

"No, not after what you've been through," Ukyou shakes her head, reaching
up to gently play with some of Akane's raven hair. "It'll happen, but it'll
take time, A-chan. It'll take time..."

"Ice cream, anyone?"

Akane and Ukyou watch as two triple scoop cones gently drift into their
hands, Ranma walking up behind them as she slurps up her own cone. "Arigatou,"
Akane takes the cone for her, then licks the ball of frozen milk and sugar
before taking a wary glance around the park. "Did anyone see you...?"

"No, no one in real close range...except for two of the Great School in a
bistro off yonder," Ranma nods to her right.

"Yeah, I felt them, too," Ukyou hums. "Tsubasa's one of them, but I don't
recognize the other. Want to go over?"

"Nah, they're busy with whoever's with them. It'd be pretty rude.
Besides, that girl with them kinda reminds me of Kunou even if she is a
girl..." Ranma shakes her head, licking her cone.

"That's probably Kodachi Kunou, his younger sister," Ukyou muses. "She
goes to St. Hebereke Jougakuen (St. Hebereke Girl's High School). Matsuri-chan
told me that Tsubasa's working there now as an assistant physical education
coach."

"Soo ka..." Akane smiles, then closes her eyes. "Arigatou."

"Do you want to come here again?" Ranma wonders.

"Un," Akane nods, then hums. "Maybe we should get a swing set up in the
yard behind the guest house. One big enough for all three of us to sit in
together, ne...?"

"Oi, that's not a bad idea," Ukyou smirks, lapping up her ice cream.
"Anyone for a little shopping in the Ginza?" she nods towards one of the park
gates, smiling invitingly.

"Why not?! Let's go!" Ranma reaches down for Akane's hand...

* * *

Minutes later, they enter the local Ginza, finishing their ice cream cones
as they window-shop. Thanks to years on the road, Ranma and Ukyou had utterly
NO idea about what one did window-shopping, so for once, Akane becomes their
sensei as they browse through what is being offered at the various stores.

"These are very beautiful," Ranma gazes at the diamond earrings on display
at one shop. "This pair reminds me of twin white dwarf stars in this one
solar system Kiku-chan and I passed through right before we met Ko-chan."

Akane is quick to notice the reverence in Ranma's eyes. "That must've
been a beautiful sight, especially seeing it in space. Sorta like the way the
Hubble Telescope can see things."

Ranma nods. "Unn."

"Premonition of good luck, Ran-chan?" Ukyou wonders.

"Definitely was."

"'Good luck?'" Akane wonders.

"Most wanderers believe that if you pass through a solar system that has
either a white dwarf or neutron star in its heart, it's a very good omen," the
chef explains. "Remember, white dwarf and neutron stars are very old, close to
the ends of their natural lifespans. You treat them with GREAT respect,
A-chan."

"Er...r-right," Akane blinks, then smiles. "Ne, Ran-chan, do you want
them?" she points to the earrings.

Ranma blinks, then hums. "Well..."

"There's free piercing here if you want it, Ran-chan," Ukyou advises,
pointing to a sign indicating such nearby.

"I...um, well, I don't see the harm in it...but jeez, these are somewhat
expensive..." Ranma stammers, then blinks, her empathic powers picking up
something from nearby. "Chotto (Wait a moment)..." she moves off towards an
alley.

"Ran-chan, nan de (what are)...oi, matte (hey, wait)!!" Akane calls out as
she and Ukyou race off after their lover.

Slipping through the crowd easily, Ranma walks into the alley, then stops,
her eyes glowing briefly as she does a telepathic scan. Six people ahead of
her, five male, one female...and a familiar one at that! "Yuka-san, are you in
here?!" she calls out.

Surprise and agitation echo from the males as Yuka Sudou turns to the
alley entrance, glad to see a familiar face. "Ranma-san!" she calls out,
moving over to stand beside her friend.

Ranma quickly senses the gang moving to stop her. "Oi, oi, where do you
think you're going...?" one demands...

...before a VERY big spatula rams his face into the ground. "She's
joining her friends, jackass!!!" Ukyou snarls as she and Akane dive in on the
others, fists and weapons at the ready.

Ranma propels herself past Yuka as she joins in. With the element of
surprise, not to mention their superior training and the Nendo-kata abilities
Ranma and Ukyou had as their birthright, the battle...if it could be called
THAT!...is brutally swift and a foregone conclusion. Yuka ducks away from the
sounds of flesh smashing into flesh and bones impacting on brick, concrete or
asphalt, then hesitantly looks back to see her three classmates standing
triumphant over a heap of broken bodies.

"Well, that was an interesting few minutes' diversion," Ranma muses,
looking well refreshed, then cries out in surprise as she is swamped by Yuka's
embrace. "Whhhoulllf!!!"

"Oh, Ranma-san, Ukyou-san, Akane-chan, arigatou, arigatou!!!" Yuka wails,
burying her head into Ranma's shoulder.

Ranma shudders, then smiles as she returns Yuka's hug, Ukyou and Akane
walking up to add their embraces. "It's okay, Yuka-chan. It's okay...are you
okay? They didn't hurt you...?" Ranma asks.

Yuka stares into Ranma's sapphire eyes, then shakes her head. "Oh, iie,
I'm alright. C'mon, let's get outta here," she beckons them from the alley,
feeling her courage and internal wa (harmony) return now that she was shielded
by three such good fighters.

"Alright, if you say so," Ranma smirks, then pauses, glancing down at the
unconscious thugs. "Chotto..."

"What is it, Ran-chan?" Akane wonders.

Ranma hums, then tells them what she has in mind. The others hum, then
Ukyou smirks, Akane and Yuka nodding approvingly.

"Ranma Saotome, you...are...EVIL!!"

The others laugh...

* * *

An hour later, Ranma steps out of the jewellery store, her now pierced
ears displaying a pair of sparkling diamond studs. Ukyou, who also got her
ears pierced, picked up a pair of silver studs each topped with a single
amethyst gem. Yuka and Akane also sport new earrings. "Kami-sama, I can't
believe those dorks had THAT much cash on them!" Akane sighs, tightly gripping
Ranma's hand.

"Well, we could put it to much better use than they...eh?!" Ranma tenses
as a shriek echoes out of a nearby alley.

The girls turn to see a half-dozen nearly naked young men race out of the
alley, they being chased by an okofuro welding a massive broom, she spitting a
ton of degrading curses on them. Nearby gawkers pause as the stampede races
past them, then taking a moment to mentally digest what they just saw, indulge
themselves in a litany of comments about what they just witnessed.

Unnoticed by them, four high school students head home...

* * *

To be continued...