Legally worthless disclaimer goes here. I'm not R. Takahashi. I
don't even look like her. Why do you think I own any copyright on
Ranma characters ?
***
Chapter 1 - Looking Back, Loss
Scene - Hawaii, in trauma unit of hospital, a 24 year old Nabiki, a
trauma nurse newly graduated from her residency, rushes a mangled
Ranma from a small helicopter illegally landed on the hospital lawn to
a gurney. The helicopter bears a label which reads "Nihou Tours" and
is piloted by a a woman with long purple hair. The gurney is pushed
by a long black haired man wearing coke bottle glasses and a white
robe.
As the gurney is rushed into the hospital, Nabiki opens a bloody
hand to reveal a small box, still surrounded by some fibers of
Ranma's pants, where she had cut them away earlier to reach and
staunch a crushed femoral artery. The box is revealed to contain a
gold band with a single diamond, with her name etched on the band.
"Saotome, you still can't talk to women, can you. How long have
you been carrying this ? Don't you dare die on me after what we've
been through, you baka pervert. If the past six years mean anything
at all, if your promise means anything, you can't."
Her hand clutches the tattered box again. "Ranma, You need to survive
to give this to me."
*** 6 years ago, Nermia, Japan
A bright, sunny day dawned over Nermia Ward. Birds sang, butterflies
drifted past, and the sound of young children playing can be heard in
the distance. The only martial arts challenge today was between the
local masters of Martial Arts Bricklaying and Martial Arts Street
Repair, both of which promised to repair more property than they
damaged. The day dawned bright with promise.
All in Nermia seemed effected, excepting one. Belying the promise of
the day, a young man trudged alone down the main road into the
district, wearing a worn backpack. The denizens of Nermia ward
instantly recognized the trademark red Chinese shirt, black pants, and
pigtail the figure wore. Yet something was missing, the almost
palpable aura of confidence normally surrounding the figure was absent.
Anyone who watched was struck by the image of a young man weighed down
with concern or sadness, his shoulders slumped, his head hung, and his
once bouncy stride was reduced to a slow, dragging, slog. Pain beyond
his years seemed to etch itself into his face and his eyes only showed
a dull empty gray.
Ranma, for indeed it was Ranma, wondered briefly if the weather was
mocking him on purpose. It seemed, again, to be entirely opposite the
tenor of his day, as it had been the first time he arrived in Nermia
from China. On that day, the weather was cold, gray, and rainy, yet
it began one of the best things in his life. No, he had to stop, he
couldn't think about that.
Eventually, Ranma arrived at his destination, and paused briefly to
read the sign, "Tendo Dojo of Indiscriminate Grappling." With a sigh,
he adjusted his pack and prepared to enter. He really wished he
wasn't alone for this. Pops, true to form, had run out on him as soon
as they hit Toyko, saying he had to go tell his mother. The amazons
were reopening the cat cafe. Hell, he'd even welcome Ryoga's company.
The jerk had gotten lost long before leaving China, of course.
He slowly opened the gate and walked up to the door. Entering the
house, he paused to drop his pack and remove his shoes, and looked up
to find Kasumi in the entryway.
On catching sight of his face, Kasumi gasped. "Ranma, what happened ?
Is Akane alright ?"
"Kasumi, I ...", he was forced to pause a moment and swallow past the
lump in his throat. "I need to talk to the family, please."
***
After what seemed an eternity of halting explanation of the events in
Jusendo, Ranma was nearing the end of his tale. Ranma knelt across
the table from the remaining Tendos, the pain and weariness etched
deeply into his face brought into sharp relief by the slow trickle of
tears which fell, unnoticed, from his eyes. In a flat, almost empty
voice, he stated "at the end, I couldn't save her. By the time she
regained her normal size it was too late. She died. Akane's gone."
Distantly, Ranma recognized the voice as his own. It all seemed
unreal, somehow, as if the person who said that was an entirely
different person, and not Ranma at all.
Across the table, the Tendo's reactions differed. For the first time
since Ranma had known Soun, he was not crying or angry in the midst of
a crisis. Instead, and worse, Soun seems to have shrunk in on himself
and to have aged overnight, as if something vital had been sucked out
of the man.
Kasumi was not much better. For the first time ever, she was not
ready with a smile. No "Oh my's", no reassuring words, came from her
lips. She seemed frozen, unable to move.
Nabiki seemed to be the only person there with any life left. Anger
glared out at Ranma from behind her eyes, despite the tears glistening
in her eyes as well. Already, she had noted the handle of the tanto
Ranma has beneath his shirt, although the rest of her family seemed
oblivious. Nabiki could see where Ranma was headed. Thoughts spin
furiously in her finely tuned, if grieving mind.
'Akane, I'm sorry' she thinks. 'I'm sorry I let this go on this long.
I could have stopped this at any time. Worse, I encouraged the
situation. I thought it was _fun_. I laughed at you, both of you.
Gomen, Akane, Gomen. I didn't know. I promise you I will not allow
this to get any worse. My ex-potential brother in law will not follow
you, not yet. I will _not_ allow this.'
Ranma slowly pulled the tanto from his shirt. Revealed to sight, it
could be seen to be engraved with the Saotome family crest. Formally,
he lays it on the table in front of him and bows. "Please accept my
apology for my failure to protect your daughter. I, I have little
else to offer you."
Nabiki was the only one of the three watching to react. In a strike
snakelike in it's rapidity, she reaches across the table and slaps
Ranma as hard as she can. "You think this would make it _better_ ?"
she exclaims, viciously. "Saotome, you owe us a lot more than this.
Maybe Akane was right, maybe all you are is a perverted jerk."
Slowly, Ranma raises his head. He finds he can't quite look Nabiki in
the eye, even though he tries. After several tries he quietly
stutters out "I tried Nabiki, I tried so hard. I killed someone. I
killed a _god_ Nabiki, and even then, I couldn't save her ! Let me
atone, at least let me die, too."
"So are you giving up ? Are you going to let Akane's death be
meaningless ? Are you going to let another person die because you
can't save them ? I thought a Saotome never looses twice" Nabiki
counters.
Nabiki pauses, and takes a breath. "But if that's how you feel, then
maybe you did fail, Saotome."
Ranma for the first time looks sharply at Nabiki, exhibiting the first
life since she had seen from him that day.
"From your description, she maybe could have been revived, if she were
in a hospital, or if there was a doctor there. I challenge you Ranma.
I challenge you to learn how to save people like Akane, and to do so.
You can't bring Akane back, but you can keep it from ever happening
to someone else. Or is the great Ranma Saotome to much of a coward ?"
Silence reigned over the table for several minutes, while Ranma sought
an answer to Nabiki's accusation, and Soun and Kasumi sit shocked by
Nabiki's behavior. Eventually, Kasumi moves. She reaches across the
table and places her hand over the tanto.
"Nabiki's right Ranma. Do this for us. Do this for Akane. This
situation came about in part due to your immaturity. You owe us a
debt, now. This would be a fitting way to honor her memory. Don't
let more people needlessly die."
All eyes to to Soun, who slowly nods. Kasumi closes her hand and
takes the tanto. It will serve as a pledge of this promise.
Nabiki relaxes her posture with her victory, and sighs, saying, "Get
ready, Saotome. We're going to be very busy the next few years. For
tonight, though, just rest, okay ? "
Ranma, too, finally nods in acceptance and defeat. "Alright, I
promise."
*** Authors notes
I was inspired somewhat in this story by the portrayal of Nabiki and
Ranma in the story "Nabiki's Honor" by Cloud Dreamer. I like Nabiki
and Ranma matchups, but in general I don't see enough if cannon Ranma
to justify it without changes to at least Nabiki's character. Would
Akane's death be enough to shoke Nabiki into change ? That's my
premis for this story, at least.
The plot came to me in a dream last night, and wouldn't let me sleep
until I at least recorded some notes about it. Please let me know if
you think it's worth developing, and please forgive the no doubt
numerous misspellings and grammatical errors.
I'm not a doctor, I don't even play one on TV.
don't even look like her. Why do you think I own any copyright on
Ranma characters ?
***
Chapter 1 - Looking Back, Loss
Scene - Hawaii, in trauma unit of hospital, a 24 year old Nabiki, a
trauma nurse newly graduated from her residency, rushes a mangled
Ranma from a small helicopter illegally landed on the hospital lawn to
a gurney. The helicopter bears a label which reads "Nihou Tours" and
is piloted by a a woman with long purple hair. The gurney is pushed
by a long black haired man wearing coke bottle glasses and a white
robe.
As the gurney is rushed into the hospital, Nabiki opens a bloody
hand to reveal a small box, still surrounded by some fibers of
Ranma's pants, where she had cut them away earlier to reach and
staunch a crushed femoral artery. The box is revealed to contain a
gold band with a single diamond, with her name etched on the band.
"Saotome, you still can't talk to women, can you. How long have
you been carrying this ? Don't you dare die on me after what we've
been through, you baka pervert. If the past six years mean anything
at all, if your promise means anything, you can't."
Her hand clutches the tattered box again. "Ranma, You need to survive
to give this to me."
*** 6 years ago, Nermia, Japan
A bright, sunny day dawned over Nermia Ward. Birds sang, butterflies
drifted past, and the sound of young children playing can be heard in
the distance. The only martial arts challenge today was between the
local masters of Martial Arts Bricklaying and Martial Arts Street
Repair, both of which promised to repair more property than they
damaged. The day dawned bright with promise.
All in Nermia seemed effected, excepting one. Belying the promise of
the day, a young man trudged alone down the main road into the
district, wearing a worn backpack. The denizens of Nermia ward
instantly recognized the trademark red Chinese shirt, black pants, and
pigtail the figure wore. Yet something was missing, the almost
palpable aura of confidence normally surrounding the figure was absent.
Anyone who watched was struck by the image of a young man weighed down
with concern or sadness, his shoulders slumped, his head hung, and his
once bouncy stride was reduced to a slow, dragging, slog. Pain beyond
his years seemed to etch itself into his face and his eyes only showed
a dull empty gray.
Ranma, for indeed it was Ranma, wondered briefly if the weather was
mocking him on purpose. It seemed, again, to be entirely opposite the
tenor of his day, as it had been the first time he arrived in Nermia
from China. On that day, the weather was cold, gray, and rainy, yet
it began one of the best things in his life. No, he had to stop, he
couldn't think about that.
Eventually, Ranma arrived at his destination, and paused briefly to
read the sign, "Tendo Dojo of Indiscriminate Grappling." With a sigh,
he adjusted his pack and prepared to enter. He really wished he
wasn't alone for this. Pops, true to form, had run out on him as soon
as they hit Toyko, saying he had to go tell his mother. The amazons
were reopening the cat cafe. Hell, he'd even welcome Ryoga's company.
The jerk had gotten lost long before leaving China, of course.
He slowly opened the gate and walked up to the door. Entering the
house, he paused to drop his pack and remove his shoes, and looked up
to find Kasumi in the entryway.
On catching sight of his face, Kasumi gasped. "Ranma, what happened ?
Is Akane alright ?"
"Kasumi, I ...", he was forced to pause a moment and swallow past the
lump in his throat. "I need to talk to the family, please."
***
After what seemed an eternity of halting explanation of the events in
Jusendo, Ranma was nearing the end of his tale. Ranma knelt across
the table from the remaining Tendos, the pain and weariness etched
deeply into his face brought into sharp relief by the slow trickle of
tears which fell, unnoticed, from his eyes. In a flat, almost empty
voice, he stated "at the end, I couldn't save her. By the time she
regained her normal size it was too late. She died. Akane's gone."
Distantly, Ranma recognized the voice as his own. It all seemed
unreal, somehow, as if the person who said that was an entirely
different person, and not Ranma at all.
Across the table, the Tendo's reactions differed. For the first time
since Ranma had known Soun, he was not crying or angry in the midst of
a crisis. Instead, and worse, Soun seems to have shrunk in on himself
and to have aged overnight, as if something vital had been sucked out
of the man.
Kasumi was not much better. For the first time ever, she was not
ready with a smile. No "Oh my's", no reassuring words, came from her
lips. She seemed frozen, unable to move.
Nabiki seemed to be the only person there with any life left. Anger
glared out at Ranma from behind her eyes, despite the tears glistening
in her eyes as well. Already, she had noted the handle of the tanto
Ranma has beneath his shirt, although the rest of her family seemed
oblivious. Nabiki could see where Ranma was headed. Thoughts spin
furiously in her finely tuned, if grieving mind.
'Akane, I'm sorry' she thinks. 'I'm sorry I let this go on this long.
I could have stopped this at any time. Worse, I encouraged the
situation. I thought it was _fun_. I laughed at you, both of you.
Gomen, Akane, Gomen. I didn't know. I promise you I will not allow
this to get any worse. My ex-potential brother in law will not follow
you, not yet. I will _not_ allow this.'
Ranma slowly pulled the tanto from his shirt. Revealed to sight, it
could be seen to be engraved with the Saotome family crest. Formally,
he lays it on the table in front of him and bows. "Please accept my
apology for my failure to protect your daughter. I, I have little
else to offer you."
Nabiki was the only one of the three watching to react. In a strike
snakelike in it's rapidity, she reaches across the table and slaps
Ranma as hard as she can. "You think this would make it _better_ ?"
she exclaims, viciously. "Saotome, you owe us a lot more than this.
Maybe Akane was right, maybe all you are is a perverted jerk."
Slowly, Ranma raises his head. He finds he can't quite look Nabiki in
the eye, even though he tries. After several tries he quietly
stutters out "I tried Nabiki, I tried so hard. I killed someone. I
killed a _god_ Nabiki, and even then, I couldn't save her ! Let me
atone, at least let me die, too."
"So are you giving up ? Are you going to let Akane's death be
meaningless ? Are you going to let another person die because you
can't save them ? I thought a Saotome never looses twice" Nabiki
counters.
Nabiki pauses, and takes a breath. "But if that's how you feel, then
maybe you did fail, Saotome."
Ranma for the first time looks sharply at Nabiki, exhibiting the first
life since she had seen from him that day.
"From your description, she maybe could have been revived, if she were
in a hospital, or if there was a doctor there. I challenge you Ranma.
I challenge you to learn how to save people like Akane, and to do so.
You can't bring Akane back, but you can keep it from ever happening
to someone else. Or is the great Ranma Saotome to much of a coward ?"
Silence reigned over the table for several minutes, while Ranma sought
an answer to Nabiki's accusation, and Soun and Kasumi sit shocked by
Nabiki's behavior. Eventually, Kasumi moves. She reaches across the
table and places her hand over the tanto.
"Nabiki's right Ranma. Do this for us. Do this for Akane. This
situation came about in part due to your immaturity. You owe us a
debt, now. This would be a fitting way to honor her memory. Don't
let more people needlessly die."
All eyes to to Soun, who slowly nods. Kasumi closes her hand and
takes the tanto. It will serve as a pledge of this promise.
Nabiki relaxes her posture with her victory, and sighs, saying, "Get
ready, Saotome. We're going to be very busy the next few years. For
tonight, though, just rest, okay ? "
Ranma, too, finally nods in acceptance and defeat. "Alright, I
promise."
*** Authors notes
I was inspired somewhat in this story by the portrayal of Nabiki and
Ranma in the story "Nabiki's Honor" by Cloud Dreamer. I like Nabiki
and Ranma matchups, but in general I don't see enough if cannon Ranma
to justify it without changes to at least Nabiki's character. Would
Akane's death be enough to shoke Nabiki into change ? That's my
premis for this story, at least.
The plot came to me in a dream last night, and wouldn't let me sleep
until I at least recorded some notes about it. Please let me know if
you think it's worth developing, and please forgive the no doubt
numerous misspellings and grammatical errors.
I'm not a doctor, I don't even play one on TV.