Alternatives, Chapter 2 ************* Monday morning in Nerima district started normally for a change. As Ranma and Akane ran to school, Ranma jumped off the fence and asked Akane to stop. "Akane ..." Ranma looked around to make sure that no one else was in earshot, "I'm going to my mother's this afternoon. Could you come with me? I'm going to ask her about some stuff, and I'd sorta like you there." After Ranma finished, he blushed and looked at the ground. [Ranma is asking me to go with him to his mother's? I wonder what he is going to be asking her?] "S, s, sure, Ranma. What are you going to ask your mother?" She said with a hesitant smile. "Gee thanks, Akane! Oh no, we're going to be late!" Ranma jumped onto the fence and began running to Furinkan High. "Wait up, Ranma. What are you going to ask your mother?" "We ain't got the time, Akane! Anyway, I want you to hear it when Mom does!" Akane was surprised. [I wonder what he's going to ask his mother? He wants me there. What would that baka need to ask his mother about? Maybe, he wants to set a date for our wedding. Oh, that would be wonderful! What would be a good day? I wonder if he'll tell me he loves me? Better slow down Akane, what if he wants to get out of our engagement? No, he has too much honor for that! Besides, I know he loves me. I know that officially he's never told me so, but I know. I'll ask him again when we get to school. I'm sure he'll tell me then.] After they arrived at school, Akane again asked Ranma, "What are you going to ask your mother, Ranma? If you tell me, we can work out the best way to ask the questions." Ranma stopped at the stairs leading into Furinkan and turned to Akane. He started sweating a little and nervously answered, "Uh, Akane, I'm going to have a hard time saying it the first time. Telling you now will only make it harder to tell my mother." The other students saw Akane and Ranma talking. They noticed that both looked rather nervous. Most decided it would be better to give them a wide berth. Those began using a side entrance to the school. Only a few brave or foolhardy souls continued to use the front entrance. "Ranma, that doesn't make any sense. Talking things over with friends always makes things easier for me. I always talk out problems with my friends before taking them to Daddy." Akane stopped. Her eyes got a little bigger and she hesitantly moved closer to Ranma and said in a tiny, fearful voice, "Unless ... Is the reason you don't want to talk it over with me is that you want to break our engagement?" [Don't say yes. I love you, you stupid baka. Don't you know that?] "No, Akane. Don't be stupid or nothing. I just want you and Mom both to hear at the same time is all." He said as he stepped back and waved his right arm at her. "You don't trust me to keep it a secret until this afternoon?" [He's not going to tell me. I don't believe it. That BAKA!] "Geez, Akane. I'm just not good at mushy stuff is all. Just wait till this afternoon, OK?" "You promise that you're not breaking the engagement?" Akane said threateningly. [If you are, I have a mallet with extendible spikes that I've been wanting to try.] "Yes, Akane, I promise. Geez, how many times have you broken it, anyway?" Ranma joked. "Ranma, I can break it, you can't, got it?" Akane said as she grabbed a regular mallet from hammerspace. "OK, Akane, OK! You don't have to hit me over the head, OK?" Ranma cowered back out of her range. "Hmph!" Akane turned her back on Ranma and went to her class. [I'll talk to Sayuri and Yuka at lunch. I'm sure that we'll be able to figure it out.] As he watched Akane walk away, Ranma heard someone clear her throat. [Uh-oh...] He turned around. "Hi Ucchan, Nabiki! How long have you been here?" He asked as a sweatdrop formed behind his head. "Long enough to know that you're going to your mother's today with Akane! How come you didn't ask me Ran-chan?" Ukyo questioned Ranma. "I am your cute iinazuke!" "Ucchan, I just need some time with my mother and Akane this afternoon, OK?" Nabiki chimed in with a smirk, "So are you and Akane going to set a new date, Ranma?" "The only date he's going to be setting is with me, do you understand that Nabiki?" "Yes, I believe I do Ukyo-KUN.." Nabiki said sarcastically and then sauntered off to class. [I'm glad I had my friends install microphones into Aunt Nodoka's home when it was rebuilt. I'll just have to activate them today, I guess. I wonder how much I'll be able to make off this.] Ukyo glared at Nabiki for a few seconds and then turned to Ranma and said pleadingly, "Ranma, I want to come. May I?" "Ucchan, I really need to talk with my mother today. I want Akane there as a friend." [And so that I won't back out of asking Mom what to do with all of my problems.] "I don't like you going there with just Akane, Ranma. But, OK." [That doesn't mean that I can't follow you and see what I can find out.] ****************** As he sat in class, Ranma was nervous. As the school day progressed towards lunch, he noticed that Akane's mood seemed to shift from pleasant and smiling to glaring at him in seconds. He couldn't figure it out. Ucchan seemed to be hurt and angry that he didn't ask her to go to his mother's home. [Man, I didn't want anyone to know that Akane and I were going to Mom's. Now Ucchan and Nabiki both know. I wonder who Nabiki has sold that information to so far.] ****************** In another part of the school, Nabiki held court from her desk. She looked up at the person standing in front of her and said, "As a matter of fact, Kuno, I know precisely where Akane and Ranma will be this afternoon." "As for that lout, Saotome, I care not whither he goes." Kuno began, "As for the beauteous Akane, I will allow you the privilege of dispensing said information to me." "First, Kuno-baby, I need 10,000 yen. Then and only then will I tell you where Ranma and my sister are going." "Mercenary." "Yeah, Yeah, I love you, too, Kuno-baby." "Akane and Ranma are going to visit Ranma's mother this afternoon at her home. He wanted Akane along for some kind of moral support. He said something about wanting to ask his mother something or other." [Hmm, I'll send Sasuke to find out what this is about. I'll decide what to do based on what Sasuke finds out.] Kuno is lost in thought. "That is all the information I have right now, Kuno. Please move along, I have other business to attend to." "..." [I wonder if I should call Shampoo, I could make a few yen off her, too.] Nabiki pulls out her cell phone and dials a number. "Nekohanten Cafe, Shampoo speaking." "Hello, Shampoo. This is Nabiki Tendo." Nabiki opened negotiations pleasantly. "What you want, Nabiki?", Shampoo replied in a wary voice. "I would like some of your delicious ramen for lunch today. Think you could deliver some to me?" [Free, of course] "Yes. What you really want?" "I just thought that we could talk about where Ranma and Akane are going to be this afternoon is all." [Sold! Now the price. 10,000 form Kuno. He's an idiot. I'll sell to her for ... 9,000 yen.] "Airen go on date with violent pervert girl! He no allow to, I his wife.", Shampoo said angrily. "Why don't you ask him, after you bring me my lunch, hmm?" Nabiki said triumphantly. "I could even let you know where they are going for say ... 15,000 yen?" "Shampoo come, pay 7,500." "Make it 12,500 and it's a deal." "10,000 all Shampoo pay" "It's a deal. See you at lunch! Bye!" Nabiki hung up the phone smiling. [I love it when negotiations go my way. All I need to do now is to rig up the betting pools by lunch time.] ****************** Akane, ignoring Ranma, sat with Sayuri and Yuka at lunch time. They sat under the tree in the schoolyard. She told them everything that Ranma had said that morning. "OK, let me get this straight. He made sure that no one else could hear, right?" Sayuri asked Akane. "Yes, he looked around the block making sure that no one else was around, before asking me anything." Akane answered. "Uh huh, How did he ask you? Was he excited, embarrassed, sad …?" Yuka then asked. "Well, he seemed a little embarrassed … and a little nervous. You know Ranma, he never likes to show much emotion." "Well, how has he acted in class today?" Sayuri asked. "Hmm, He kept looking at me and Ukyo all morning. First, he would look at me. Then, he would glance at Ukyo. Every time he looked at Ukyo, he would look a little sad. I don't know why he kept looking at her. I got mad every time I caught him looking at her. When he looked at me, he would either smile or act like he wasn't looking at me." Akane responded thoughtfully. . "Well, I think he's going to at last make you his official one and only fiancee! He might even ask you to set a date for a wedding and get his mother's help in setting it up. That will be so cool!" Yuka said. "You are soooo wrong, Yuka! I think that he is going to try to get out of his engagement. Why else would he want Akane there?" Akane listened to her friends arguing as she put her head in her hands. [Well, they really helped out.] She thought wistfully. [I wish I knew what this was all about. At least, they helped me sort out what I am feeling. I'm a little scared. What is that baka going to be talking to his mother about?] ****************** Ranma felt a little strange. It was lunch time. Akane was with her friends. Ucchan was upset with him. No one was glomping onto him. No one had challenged him. [Hmph, this must be how most people have lunch. It's boring, but I could get used to it.] He snuck away to the challenge field. [Yawn, I'm tired. I stayed up too late last night.] He decided to take a quick nap. As he got settled down, he heard a bicycle bell. ching, Ching … "Airen, why you take Akane on date! You my husband, not pervert girl's!" Shampoo protested. [Uh, oh.] "Hi, Shampoo. I'm not going on any date with Akane!" Ranma said in full denial mode. "That not what Nabiki say. She say you take Akane to mother's house. That not true?" Shampoo asked in a more normal tone. "Um, err... Yes, that's true Shampoo. Akane and I are going to Mom's. It's just that I have some things to talk over with my mother and I wanted someone with me." Ranma nervously replied. "Shampoo you wife. I go with you instead. OK?" Shampoo said happily as she glommed onto Ranma. "No, Shampoo. It's not OK. All I am going to do is be with my mother and Akane is that OK?" He said as he struggled to get out of her arms. "IT NOT OK! PERVERT GIRL NOT WIFE, SHAMPOO IS!" Shampoo began tightening her hug on Ranma. "Hold it right there, Shampoo. If Ranchan wants to spend time with his mother, we should let him have it." Ukyo said as she ran up and stepped between Shampoo and Ranma. "But why he wants Akane there I really don't know." [Why didn't you want me there?] As Shampoo and Ukyo began a stand-off, neither saw Ranma slip away towards Akane. ****************** "Akane, would you mind too much if we went to my Mom's now?" Ranma asked nervously. "We still have the afternoon classes to go to Ranma. Why do you want to go now?" "Shampoo is here. She and Ukyo are about to have a fight. I just want to get out of here before it gets too bad." [He actually wants to leave before a fight starts?] "Well, OK. Let's get our stuff and go." As they run off, Yuka turned to Sayuri and excitedly said, "See there Sayuri, Ranma is really excited! He's going to get Akane and his mother to set a date for their wedding. I just know it!" "I think he just didn't want to get beaten up by Shampoo and Ukyo" Sayuri deadpanned. ****************** As Ranma and Akane walked towards his mother's home, Ranma got more and more nervous. At one point, he looked at Akane and stuck his left hand out in invitation to be held. Akane, seeing this, grabbed his hand and started beaming in happiness. [YES! He does love me! I knew it. I just wish that he would open up to me.] "Ranma, can you give me any hint about what you want to talk to your mother about?" Akane hesitantly asked. He looked at her, at her hand in his, and sighed. "Akane, I want to discuss my honor, my curse and all of my unwanted fiancees. I'm going to ask my mother for help. I didn't want to tell you earlier because someone else might have heard. Can you imagine what would've happened?" "Why did you pick me to go with you? After all I'm one of the unwanted fiancees, am I not?" Akane angrily retorted. Ranma stopped and looked at her. Akane looked in Ranma eyes and felt a blush rise at the love she saw there. "No, Akane. You have never been unwanted. I l.. l.. l-word, no, love you. I have loved you for a long time now. It's time to clean up my life. Don't you agree?" Ranma said fearful of rejection. "…" [Did he just say that he loves me. He said that he LOVES me!!!] Akane's smile is bigger than Ranma had ever seen. She stood there looking at him. She felt happier than she ever has. Her heart was pounding and she felt her blush reaching her shoulders. "Akane, are you all right?" Ranma asked nervously.[Oh no! She doesn't love me. She's trying to find a way to let me down easy.] Startled out of her reverie, Akane responded, "I am better than all right, Ranma. I am absolutely great! I love you, too! We'll work out whatever problems we need to, I promise." Akane then glomps onto Ranma. Ranma reaches down with his right hand and lifts Akane's head up by the chin. He slowly brings his face towards hers and breathes, "Arigato, my kawaii iinazuke." They kiss. After a few moments, they heard clapping and yelling. They parted and realized that they were on a busy street and the people around them were cheering for them. With embarrassed smiles, they bowed to everyone. They then continued on, arm in arm. ****************** Ding Dong. "Hello, who is it please?" "Mom, it's me and Akane. Can we visit you for a while?" "Of course, Ranma, of course. Come in. Would either of you like some tea?" "That would be great, Mom!" "Yes, I would like some tea, Auntie Nodoka." As they settle in the main room, drinking their tea, Nodoka asks, "Ranma, Akane it's always wonderful to see you. To what do I owe the honor of your visit?" "..." Ranma looked at the floor nervously. [How can I ask her for help and still seem manly?] He looked at Akane and saw her smiling in encouragement at him. "Well, Ranma? After all you came here to talk to your mother." Akane said softly. "Mom, I have been thinking. I’ve got some problems that fighting can’t fix.” Ranma began very nervously. [How can I ask for help and not be unmanly?] “I can't figure out what to do. I would like your advice on some things." Ranma continued slowly. Under his breath to Akane, he whispered, "Yes, Akane I do think every now and then." "Oh, Ranma, I will help you all that I can. What is it you need help with?" Nodoka asked lovingly. [What a man you've become! You've surpassed your father. He still doesn't know when to ask for help.] "It-It's several things, Mom.” Ranma paused here. He looked at Akane. She gave him a squeeze of the hand and an encouraging smile. [OK, here goes nothing.] Ranma quickly rushed on, “Please don't think this is umanly or nothing, but my biggest problem is that I have four fiancees. Akane is my fiancee from an agreement Pop made before either of us were born. Ukyo is my fiancee from an agreement Pop made during our training trip. Shampoo considers herself my wife because I defeated her in a fight and is bound by her honor to marry me. Kodachi wants me. I'm sure that there are others that Pop engaged me to, but haven't found us yet. When we first came to Nerima, we were found by two different families that Pop had engaged me to. At least with those, we found a way to break the engagements." Ranma finished in one breath. He then stammered on, "Mom, I ...I l-love Akane.” Ranma again stopped. Taking time for another look at Akane, he then in a quiet almost embarrassed voice, “I would be happy to have her as my wife. She’s not the problem. One problem is that family honor demands that I marry both Akane and Ukyo. Another problem is that Shampoo's honor demands that I marry her. I think Kodachi really just wants a chance.” Ranma looked up at his mother. A little fear and some hope could be seen on his face. [I hope I am not disappointing you, Mom.] Straightening himself up, Ranma asked his mother, “How can all of the demands of honor be met? If I try to marry any one of them, we would just see a repeat of the last wedding.” He paused and looking back down, he finished, “Mother, I don't want to hurt any of them. Ukyo and Shampoo are friends of mine. I don’t know about Kodachi. She has problems. I don’t think she is as bad as Kuno, yet. It might be that she’s just lonely." There was silence for a few moments. When Ranma could stand it no longer, he looked up at his mother. His mother was crying. [Oh no! She thought I was unmanly. I’m sorry, Mom.] Noticing him looking at her, Nodoka began to speak, "My son, I do not think it unmanly of you to begin to face your problems. Facing your problems and seeking help to solve them only prove how much of a man you've become. I am proud of you. I also want to thank you for coming to me." Nodoka smiled. "Thank you for what you just said, Ranma, I love you, too." Akane said as she hugged Ranma. [I can't believe that he's finally said it and twice in one day!] She then continued on in a more thoughtful tone, "I'm sorry, Ranma, but you will have to hurt somebody. You can only marry one of us." "Akane, there's another problem with getting married. I'm only a man half of the time. Do you really want to marry someone who is a girl half of the time? What would we be when I'm a girl? It wouldn't be man and wife!" He said sadly. "That's not a problem, Ranma. When you're a man, we will be man and wife. Woman to woman, we'll figure it out together." [Please let us just be friends when we're both girls. Unlike what Shampoo thinks, I am not a pervert-girl.] Ranma began to sweat and nervously began, "Besides, I've been noticing weird things lately when I'm a girl. You know that I have always acted differently when I'm a girl. Things like how I stand, hold my arms, even how I walk and swing my arms. I've noticed that I am starting to think differently as a girl, too. When I'm a girl, the thought of holding or kissing another girl is pretty disgusting to me. I've been looking at guys and noticing stuff. I look at them and notice how well groomed they are. I notice what they are wearing and what fabrics their clothes are made of. I even notice if their shoes are shined and whether their fingernails are clean or not. I check out how they are built. Do they have broad shoulders? Do they have big hands and feet? I start wondering if they are going to be good with children. I even check out their, you know ... bulges." [Man I can't believe I'm telling this to Akane and Mom!] As he finished, Ranma was blushing and unable to look at either his mother or Akane. "Ranma, that's not so weird all girls ...do ...OH!" Akane blushed as she realized what Ranma was saying. As he continued on, the tone in his voice became disgusted. "Now when I'm a guy, I am all guy. I don't like guys or nothing. I like girls. It's just that when I'm a girl, I've been getting attracted to boys. Akane, remember the last time I fought Ryoga as a girl? Remember how he got that hit on me that send me into the wall? I got distracted. I was noticing how cute his fangs were and how strong his hands were. Ugh! Akane, would you really want to marry someone who is interested in you only half the time?" "Yes, Ranma because the other half of the time, you would be my best friend." Akane said lovingly, "Ranma, I love you. I love you when you're a man and I love you as a girl. Don't start thinking that you can run away from me because of some silly curse." She then hugged him. "Ahem." Nodoka interjected softly. "Ranma, you do have some serious problems." She began in a loving tone of voice. "It is very manly to have so many women betrothed to you at once. However, it is not very manly to notice how cute other men are. I have some good news for you. I never understood why you and Genma did not cure yourselves when you first got cursed. So, I wrote a letter to the Jusenkyo Guide. I asked him about the curses and their cures. I received this letter just this week." "You did? What did he say?" Ranma asked excitedly. "The letter states that there are only two ways of being truly cured. The first is to simply live through it. In the case of people falling into the spring of drowned animals, the curse stays with you as long as that animal would have lived normally. For example, Spring of Drowned Mouse affects most people for two years. The Spring of Drowned Cat curse lasts from 12 to 18 years. However for the pools of drowned people, the curse only leaves when you accomplish what the spirit wanted to do in his or her life. Specifically, the Spring of Drowned Girl curse lasts until the person cursed gets married to a man and has a child. The spirit of the curse then allows you to choose to keep the curse or not. The guide wrote that in every case of someone fulfilling that specific requirement, the person ended up keeping the curse." She stopped and took a long look at Ranma. She smiled and her eyes became tear-filled. "Ranma, I understand that. You don't know the joy and happiness of seeing the life that you carried for nine months the first time. The bliss of holding that little one. Even the ecstasy of smelling your baby and knowing, this is MY child. You also cannot know the absolute commitment you feel when holding your baby for the first time. You say to yourself, I would die for this child. It is one of the things that makes being a woman so very special." Nodoka cried. "Son, I must warn you. If you give birth to a baby, you will not wish to become a man full-time ever again." "I can't believe anyone would want to stay a woman, especially after having a baby." Ranma said bravely as he big-sweated. [Oh man, Oh man. I don't wanna have to have a baby. I don't wanna have to have a baby! I'm a guy!] "You've never had a baby, Ranma. The next time you are in your girl form, ask someone to let you hold their baby for them. Afterwards come and tell Akane and I how you felt holding that precious little one." [OH MAN!!!] Ranma bigsweated. Akane pictured Ranma holding a baby, started to laugh and then almost started to cry. [I don't want to lose you Ranma, especially to a man.] "Ranma, if it means a cure for you, I'll ...I'll get in the Spring of Drowned Boy. That way we would always be man and wife. It would be that sometimes, you would be the wife and sometimes I would be." Akane offered. "Thanks Akane, but I really don't want you the get cursed. What about if I jumped in the Spring of Drowned Man? Wouldn't that cure me?" "The Guide also wrote that many had tried that early in the history of the springs. It was found to their horror that the curses mix together. For instance Spring of Drowned Wolf mixed with Spring of Drowned Woman, you get someone who looks like a European werewolf rather than being cured. Ranma thinks, [That explains what happened to Pantyhose's form.] "Many of the tales of strange or mythological beasts may come from just such occurrences. If you jumped into the Spring of Drowned Boy, you might come out with no sex. You would be neither male nor female when your curse activated and there would be no way of getting rid of it. However, for thos e brave enough, there is a way to be permanently cured. If you were to jump into the Spring of Drowned Twins, you would be turned into twins. However, in the case of curse victims, instead of becoming identical twins, you become yourself and your cursed form. In your case Ranma, you would be Ranma forever and Ranko forever. Half of you would always be a man. The other half always a woman. On that day, I would gain a daughter." Ranma's face pales at the thought of being a woman forever. [It's not like I don't take advantage of the form. Have sex with a man? Ugh!! Have a baby? No Way! But ...half of me would get to be a man forever.] Akane is sitting holding Ranma and looking into his face. "I will support you whatever you decide." "There is another side effect of the Spring of Drowned Twins, that we may want to think about. If you used the Spring to separate into two halves, your new male side could then jump into the spring and make a Ranma for each of your fiancees. Family honor would be upheld. If you wanted, you could even make a Ranma that had no fiancee." Nodoka suggested. After a few minutes of silence, Ranma looked at Akane and asked, "Akane, would it bother you to have several of me around?" "No, as long as I have you Ranma, I don't care if Shampoo, Ukyo or Kodachi get another one of you. Just don't go hentai on me and start switching or something." "Would you help the other me adjust to being a woman full-time? I would need a lot of help." "Akane doesn't need to answer that Ranma, as my daughter, it would be my duty and my pleasure to help you. I am sure that she would be your friend, though." Nodoka interjected. "Of course I would, Ranma." Akane smiled at him. "Thank you mother, I knew you would be able to help me. May I think about my options for a few days? Neither cure is an easy one." Ranma bowed to his mother. He then added, “Mother, I’m glad that I could come to you. Pops had let me think you dead for too long. It is great to have a Mom!” "You are welcome, my son. It is wonderful having my son back, also. Would you stay for dinner? I would like to learn more about you, Ranma. Tell me about the different techniques that Genma taught you. Akane, I’d like to know more about the girl Ranma loves." The conversation continued with Ranma telling his mother and Akane outrageous stories, the bulk of them true. ****************** Late that night Ranma, Akane and Nodoka were sitting in the family room of Nodoka's home. It was very similar to the Tendo's family room. It opened out onto an immaculately maintained rock garden. Since it was dark, not much of it could be seen. Akane was snuggled up against Ranma. Her face shone with happiness. Ranma's left arm was wrapped around Akane. Nodoka sat across from the happy couple with a smile on her own face. Ranma was happily telling Nodoka stories of his life. He had just finished telling his mother about Akane's and his Martial Arts Ice Skating Competition. Ranma stopped and started thinking. "Mom?" Ranma asked hesitantly. "Yes, dear?" "Would you mind if I stayed here for the next couple of days as I make my decisions?" He asked hesitantly, "It's easier to think here. I don't have to worry about as many interruptions as I do at the Tendo's." "Of course I wouldn't mind, Ranma, this is your home as much as it is mine!" Nodoka smiled. She then continued in a motherly tone, "You will still have to go to school while you are here. Can you make it to Furinkan and back without too much trouble?" "That'll be easy! Oyaji would tell me the challenge would be good training! Thanks, Mom." Ranma looked at Akane. She looked a little disappointed. [Oh man, I forgot to ask Akane if she would want to stay!] "ER, Akane, would you be able to stay here with me? I'd really like to have you here. … We could spar and things." "Really, Ranma?" She asked hopefully. "Do you really want me to stay here with you?" "Yeah, I do." Ranma said. [We haven't fought all night. It's a record! One I think I would like to break. A lot.] "I'd be happy to stay. If you really meant it about sparring, do you think you could show me a move or two?" Akane continued. "Well, you are kinda slow.” Ranma noticed that Akane’s hug starting to tighten. He quickly smiled and added, “I know a thing or two that could speed you up." [Uh-oh. I forgot myself again.] "Mom, you wouldn't mind Akane being here would you?" "She can stay in the guest room." Nodoka laughed. More seriously, she added "You show Akane the guest room, Ranma. While Akane gets settled, I will call the Tendo's and arrange everything. I'll get Nabiki to bring both of you a weeks worth of clothes to school tomorrow. Akane, dear, I'll be by after I speak with your father and give you a spare nightgown. Ranma, I have some of your father's pajamas for you to wear. I'm afraid they'll be a little large on you." "That's OK, Mom. I'd rather sleep in a pair of Pop's pajamas than have to change and wear a nightgown." Ranma answered with a grimace. "Oh, if both of you will place your clothes outside of your rooms, I'll have them washed for you in the morning. I don't want anyone to think that you have to wear dirty clothes when you visit me!" "Aunt Nodoka, you don't have to do that!" Akane started. "Mom, Akane's right, you don't have to …" Ranma interrupted Akane but stopped when he saw Nodoka raise her hand. "I do have to make sure that you wear clean clothes. That's part of a mother's job. I haven't had many chances to be a mother to you, Ranma. Let me have this one." Nodoka said softly and pleadingly. Ranma and Akane exchanged glances. Akane heard the pain in Nodoka's voice and wondered if Ranma had. Ranma knew that his mother really wanted to do this for them. They both turned and bowed to Nodoka. "Thank you, Mother. I am sorry." Ranma apologized as he bowed. [I am sorry that Pop took me away from you. I am sorry that I had to be Ranko to you for so long. I am sorry that I had to be afraid of you. I am sorry that I didn't even know you were alive until last year. I am sorry for all of the time I lost away from you.] "Thank you for your kindness, Aunt Nodoka, I am also sorry." Akane then apologized.[I still don't know how you lasted so long without Genma and Ranma. I can understand wanting to be rid of Genma. That baka! It must have been torture knowing that Ranma was somewhere and you couldn't hold him or help him when he needed it.] "No, it is I who should thank you." Nodoka said. She stood, walked to them, kneeled and brought both of them into a hug. She then said, "It has been a long time since Ranma slept in this house. I have looked forward to it for a long time. I just wish you could stay longer. Now go to bed, you two. I'll be by later."[This house has not been a home in over ten years. At least for the next few nights, it will be.] ************** A little ninja left soon after they went to bed. He needed to report to his master and mistress. Nabiki listened a little longer making sure that nothing more important was on the tape. [Hmm. So Akane and Ranma love each other. I think that their pictures have just gone off the market. My bet is that he will choose to use the Spring of Drowned Twins. That would solve his problems with his fiancee's. I'm going to have to research just what will be needed to add several birth records into the national database. I could sell this to the Old Ghoul for a lot of money. Ukyo and Kodachi will probably want it also. I bet that Obaba would even help us in getting to China and back. ...Let's see we would need passports for Ranko and all of the assorted Ranmas] Nabiki sat at her computer and began making a project plan for everything that had to be done. This would be her present to Akane. Neither Shampoo nor Ukyo had made it to Nodoka's home that day. For some reason, they both had to be treated at the local hospital. ****************** Thanks, Mike email me at allenmk@gte.net This is my home email address.