By E-Type.
Herein lies the Disclaimer. I don't own any of the characters portrayed in this story, I just borrowed them for a little while. Their respective owners can have them back when I'm done. No money is going to be made off of this anyway. Also, this story idea was found at http://ranko.anifics.com. It is listed under the The Dead Fiance. Everything other than the idea is written by me.
Chapter 1
Ranma stood silently watching the TV. At the time there was no one there to bother him, a rare occurance. Akane was practicing against some bricks in the dojo, Kasumi hummed to herself pleasantly in the kitchen, and Nabiki, well, Ranma was never too sure what she did and didn't care enough to really find out. Given that he had nothing better to do he started to think back over his life, at all the things that had happened to him and the people he had encountered.
He paused when he stumbled those memories from his junior high days. The events surrounding his encounter with Ryoga wasn't the only thing that happened. In fact, there was where he had met a girl that he had fallen in love with. And she honestly returned the favor. But that was enough, Ranma had been holding himself back ever since then, in the hopes that he wouldn't have to do something like that again. Lo and behold, he had met Akane and things had started to happen all over again. Strange events, weird princess and whatnot all chasing a girl he cared for, and never ending use of the martial arts in order to get them back.
But that was okay, as far as the rescuing bit went. He had been raised to do nothing but martial arts, but without rivals and enemies there would be no need for him to have those skills. But then again, all those princes stole his fiances because they wanted to marry her for themselves, and that was something that he would never get over. But that girl he hadn't really had any of those problems with. She had been there for him, backed him up when he needed it, and provided a soothing ear for him to rant about his problems. Course, now that he was thinking about her, he realized that she never really said much of anything. But that was something that he could get used to.
A knock sounded on the door. Ranma rose to see who it was, but Kasumi exited the kitchen and waved him back to his seat. He smiled at her in gratitude. Ranma didn't think he would ever forget the girl's name. Just like he would never forget the look of sorrow and love in her eyes as he held her in his arms in the middle of the street. Right before those beautiful red eyes turned lifeless in death. Ranma sat hunched in sorrow and self loathing as he relived the expireince, memories coming forth unwanted.
He shook his head and tried to banish his thoughts. He really didn't want to remember them. They were too painfull. But he still really liked to think of her name and the time he did spend with her. It was, perhaps, the only really good memories of women that he had. Uchan was considered a boy at the time, but he realized that he should really put an effort forward to start thinking of her as a girl. But those pleasant memories had been tainted by her death. He still couldn't help but smile when he thought of evenings over ice cream or something happily chatting away and getting the girl to open up to him and express some emotions.
When Ranma had first met her, she had been a cold and distant young girl. Ranma couldn't figure out why she was like that, so he started to spend a lot of time with her. Especially since nobody else did. He also started to spend some time with Ryoga, but that was because nobody else could. He remebered talking with her, telling jokes and stories that he had heard or expireienced, trying to just get her to crack a smile. When that had finally happened, it took a suprisingly brief period of time before she started chuckling.
Not long after that she was participating in regular conversations with him, but only him. If Ranma wasn't present she would close up again until she saw him. Then her face would light up, a smile would come to her lips and instead of her usual calm, quiet monosentences she would erupt with a joyous, for her, 'Ranma!' before running over to talk with him.
Everybody assumed they were together, since he was the only one she would open up to, and amazingly enough, Ranma realized it too. Even more amazing was he was happy about it and would spend even more time with her. Only the girl seemed to not realize that they were a couple, but that was merely from ignorance, not from a lack of perceptiveness.
All their happiness had all come to a crashing halt right after their last date. Ranma had known that he was going to leave for another leg of his training trip pretty soon and had already gotten some letters ready to send to her when he left, really hoping that he would be able to settle down long enough that he could recieve some letters back from her. But that wasn't meant to be.
Ranma would remember what she said right before they parted ways for the final time.
~~~~Flashback~~~~
"Ranma," a young girl with short blue hair said. "I hope you get back soon. I can't wait to see you again. I had a wonderful day."
Ranma smiled his best smile before he reached out and hugged her close to him. She seemed a bit startled by it, for it was something that Ranma would never normally do, but this was definitely a special circumstance. "I had a great time too." Ranma replied. "I hope to see you again too, but at least I'll be able to write to you whenever I feel like it."
The girl giggled, something that she had just started to do and enjoyed it a lot. "I'll look forward to it." She said with a smile.
Ranma sighed, hugging her close to him. He hadn't ever really done that before, but he discovered that he was getting used to it quickly. "I have to go before Oyaji gets impatient and starts coming after me. That is something we really want to avoid." His girlfriend nodded before leaning forward and quickly pecking his lips.
Ranma stood speechless as she dimpled at him before turning and running down the street to her apartment. Ranma got a goofy grin on his face as he too turned and started walking towards home. Right then he had a bad feeling, like he was about to get attacked, but he knew that there wasn't anybody around him. His eyes widened in realization before he turned and dashed down the sidewalk as fast as he could. Halfway down the street he heard the squeel of tires followed by a couple loud booms, like metal deforming violently.
Ranma somehow managed to run even faster. He skidded around the corner and almost fainted from the scene. A truck had broadsided a car, sending it spinning off to the side where it smashed a girl waking along the sidewalk before imbeding into a wall. Ranma sprinted to the girl, but froze a few steps away from her. She was a young girl, with short blue hair and red eyes. But there was more red around her.
Blood, he realized.
"No!!" Ranma shouted, seeming to teleport to her side. He reached down and held her, trying to stop her bleeding. He couldn't really see where it was coming from, she just seemed to have been showered with glass. He became soaked in her blood trying vainly to stem the flow.
The girl groaned in pain, her eyes fluttering open. Ranma stopped, their eyes locked together. They both knew she was going to die, but neither wanted to accept that fact. "No..." Ranma whispered, staring down at her.
She tried to smile, but it looked so strained it caused tears to run down Ranma's cheeks. "Please don't leave me." He cried desperatly.
She coughed, spitting up more blood. "Ranma.." She drew a shuddering breath while reaching up to pull her closer to her face. "Ranma Saotome, I love you."
Ranma cried harder. "I love you too! Why now? Huh, why!? Why can't I ever have any friends?" He pulled her tight against him, trying to force her to stay alive. "I don't want to go on without you. I don't know if I can!"
She looked at him, her usual cool expression on her face again. Ranma wasn't sure if she was ignoring the pain or if she couldn't feel anything. "Please go on. For me, Ranma. Please. I love you."
Ranma sat there, cradling her body as her last breath left her, great sobs wracking his body, oblivious to the rest of the world.
~~END Flashback~~
Nabiki walked into the room and looked over at Ranma. She froze in midstep from the look in his eyes. She hadn't seen pain like that before, not since her mother had died and she had looked into Kasumi's eyes. She started walking over to him when she heard a soft knock at the front door, it opening a moment later. Kasumi's voice floated over to the middle Tendo daughter's ears, asking what she could help the visitor with. Nabiki couldn't hear the response, but she did hear Kasumi's "Oh, my." That didn't bode well for the younger Saotome. That particular 'Oh, my' usually signified another fiance that would have to be fought off. Ranma seemed to be too out of it to recognize what that Oh My meant.
Nabiki had by then gotten close enough to hear what Ranma whispered to himself while lost in thought. "Oh, Rei..." The longing in his voice was unmistakable.
Nabiki shook her head, wondering what things in his past would cause him to react like that to a girl's name. Maybe he had had a girlfriend in the past. Nah, that couldn't be it she decided. He just didn't strike her as one that would have a girlfriend, given the way he acts around women. That gave her pause. Maybe it was because of this 'Rei' that he acts the way he does. Nabiki saw out of the corner of her eye a young girl walk in with Kasumi. She had light blue hair and startling red eyes.
Kasumi cleared her throat in preparation for an announcment. "Ranma? A fiance arrived just now. Her name is Rei Ayanami."
Nabiki didn't think she had ever seen somebody with such a spooked look on their face as what appeared on Ranma's face at the mention of her name. That got Nabiki thinking. Rei Ayanami? As in Rei from his memories that had caused him such pain? This would bear looking into.
Ranma's head slowly turned toward the voices until he locked onto the blue haired girl. A small smile played across her lips, but other wise she remained devoid of emotion, something that seemed a little odd to Nabiki. Rei had an even better mask than she did.
Nabiki watched in fasination as all the color drained from Ranma's face. She had never seeen somebody go so pale before. He breathed a silent "No..." as his eyes widened to impossible proportions. Then Nabiki noticed P-chan was pale too. That was an odd sight, a black pig gone pale. Ranma repeated himself slightly louder, his head shaking back and forth as if he was detirmined not to see what was before him.
Ranma jerked stifly to his feet, lacking his usual almost inhuman grace, his mouth working but no words coming out. Finally, he said, "Y-you can't be here! You're d-d-dead! DEAD!! You hear me?!" His voice rose in pitch and volume till he was screaming. After that he ran from the room faster than Nabiki had ever seen him go. P-chan also shot from Akane's arms and went right out a window. Everybody stood transfixed for several long moments, wondering what in world had just happened. Nobody had ever seen Ranma react like that to somebody, even if they were supposed to be dead.
Nabiki had to admire the blue haired girl's self control. Her face didn't show any emotion, but the single, solitary tear trickling down her cheek gave away her sadness. Nabiki shook her head at that. Here she was annalyzing the other girl's mask and she should be pondering why in the world Ranma would accuse Rei of being dead and run away like he had seen...a ghost.</>
There had been many strange things that had happened to the people of Nerima and at the Tendo dojo in particular, but none of them had really been able to get at Ranma until now. That really made Nabiki think. What could he have meant that she was dead? Was he being literal? She decided to find out and approached Rei.
"Hi. I'm Nabiki Tendo." She said as friendly as she could, hoping to crack through the cold shell quickly.
Instead of saying anything Rei simply nodded in acknowledgement, her red eyes gazing cooly at her through the dampness threatening to spill forth. Nabiki stood silent for a second, expecting her to say something before realizing with a start that her nod had been all that she was going to get. Nabiki blinked in shock. That was a very thick shell she was protected under. Nabiki wondered what she was feelings to make her actually shed a tear, if these were her normal reactionss. Perhaps it had something to do with Ranma running away from her. That would make sense, in a Nerima-ish kind of way.
Nabiki decided to try again. "So how did you meet Ranma? All of his previous fiances seem to have found interesting ways of getting aquanted with him"
That actually caused Rei to blink. Then she spoke. "I wondered what Tendo-san meant when I was greeted. I met him when he was taking Ryoga to school. According to Ranma-kun we became a couple a few months after having met each other."
Nabiki nodded, realized that she guessed that sometimes even Ranma could have the beginning of a normal relationship, even if it was with strange girl. Nabiki decided to ignore the fact that if she tried she herself could probably pull off a fairly good imitation of Rei.
"So," Nabiki continued. "Do you have any idea why he would run out like that? I mean, you certainly look alive enough to me." At least in the body, she ammended mentally.
Rei stood gazing at her for several long, uncomfortable moments before she nodded slightly and turned toward the table. "You should gather the rest of your family." She said. Nabiki could guess why. If it was something to make a girl like her cry and Ranma to run away in denial it would have to be hard to tell. But Nabiki could only wonder if she was going to be getting all of the story or only most of it.
Ranma stood on the roof in the outskirts of Nerima, wondeirng what he was going to do. The girl that he had first fallen in love with, indeed, his feelings for her hadn't wavered at all in the intervening years, was back from the dead. As impossible as that sounded it wasn't the first time something like that had happened to him. But what startled him was that, as far as he knew, she was a fairly orderinary girl with a little emotional problem that he had befriended and fallen for. She had fallen for him also, although she had to be told what those feelings were that she was getting around him. She had marveled at them and then returned them enthusiastically once she knew what was expected and appreciated of and by her.
But coming back from obvious death. He could understand if she had just been almost dead, or maybe been labeled as couldn't possibly have survived some accident. But he had seen the life leave her eyes, he knew that she was dead, yet here she was again. It boggled his mind and was something that he was having trouble dealing with. As evidenced by his hasty departure.
He regretted doing that now. He wanted to hold her in his arms one more time before he either ran off screaming or demanded to know what had happened to her after they had buried her. But it was too late for that now, he had left and obviously didn't want to go back to the Tendo home with all the problems that that would entail, especially with the one fiance back that he did know of, the one he would uphold if he could. Probably just as adamantly as hi father. But he didn't want to deal with that yet. He had soem thinking to do before he could get some answers from Rei, so he decided that he should find Ryoga and see if he knew anything. Afterall, the pig did get around. Not that he really knew it most of the time.
Firm with his course of action Ranma turned to track down P-chan when something squeeled at his feet. Looking down Ranma found the black piglet looking at him with haunted eyes. Ranma nodded in understanding and picked the transformed lost boy up, looking for hot water as he roof hopped.
Nabiki sat and looked across the table at everyone. She was on the far end with Soun, Kasumi and Akane lined up on her right with Ayanami on her left facing the rest of the Tendos. Genma sat across from Nabiki. "So, how did you become his finace?" Nabiki started off.
Rei's cold eyes regarded them all for several moments before she responded. "He asked me to be." And that was all she said.
The Tendo's face faulted at that. RANMA had proposed to a girl several years ago?!? This was just too much for even Kasumi to stomach and all those gathered stared at Rei with incredulity. She stared back, somber as ever.
Nabiki managed to control her reaction enough to ask another question. "Why, pray tell, did he ask you to marry him?" She wondered what the other girls response was going to be. Rei was a very concise speaker.
"He loved me. I returned his sentiments." Finally Rei's mask started to crack a little. Her eyes became sad and shined again with unshed tears.
Nabiki sat blinking for a few moments untils she realized nothing else was forthcoming. This was going to take a while. Hopefully Ranma would come back soon and they could get this all figured out quickly.
"So why did he say you were dead?"
"Because I died in his arms after being hit by a car."
"Oh my. That's so sad," Kasumi sympathized.
Nabiki gave her older sister a hooded look. Sometimes that girl really made her wonder. "So...how and why are you here now?"
"I can't tell you. You don't have sufficient security clearence. I came here because I regained my memeories of that time and decided to follow up on them. After all, he did purpose to me a couple days before I died." Rei now had the faintest of smiles on her face as she finished saying her longest sentence yet.
Nabiki ground her teach together in frustration. This was even more annoying than if the pale skinned girl had just lied. If she had done that the mercenary girl might have been able to just get Rei to admit to something that she wouldn't have normally, but now it was out in the open that she couldn't, and wouldn't, tell them, even it was the needed secrecy true or not. With a mere glance Nabiki could tell that her sisters and father had already started to trust and believe the latest fiance. Though Akane still managed to look a little upset at it all. Nabiki did have to admit that with everything that they had seen and been through things like this didn't really seem all that out of place. Still, this Ayenami girl was very strange, especially if she did have the securty clearence necessary to have the government somehow resurrect her. If Nabiki only knew the truth of how many Rei's they had.
Suddenly Rei stood and started walking back toward the hole in the wall Ranma had made with his quick exit. Nabiki scowled at her. She hadn't finished asking questions yet. "Hey! Where do you think you're going?" Nabiki demanded.
Rei paused midstride and looked back over her shoulder, her crimson eyes boring into Nabiki's. "Ranma will probably be back soon. I wish to speak with him." Nabiki sat there slightly stunned. Rei knew Ranma that well? As if to prove the point faint voices could be heard just outside the broken wall now that nobody was talking. It was Ranma and what sounded like Ryoga. The two of them were talking about Rei and, curious, everyone stopped to listen to what the two were saying.
"I know that, Ryoga. But I'm just not sure if I can do it. I don't know if I can live if I have to lose her again, and you know some of my problems. Hell, you cause some of them."
Ryoga chuckled nervously. "You have to, Ranma. I saw how much you loved her back then, and it's obvious your feelings for her havn't changed. You have to risk it and try seeing her again."
"I know that! But do you have any idea how hard it is to walk back in there and see a ghost? I love her so much it makes me sick, but I won't be able to live if she's just some demon trying to mess with my head. I probably would kill a few people if that happened." The outside of the house started to glow as Ranma let that idea run around in his head for a few moments. His aura stopped as he banished the thought and forced himself to concentrate on something else.
"Oh crap. I wonder how long everybody's been listening to us."
Ryoga gave a startled grunt and turned toward the Ranma shaped hole in the wall, just catching a bit of cloth visible peeking out from the edge. He scowled slightly and wondered who it was. Ranma, however, could sense them and knew who was listening, he had just been too wrapped up in his own thoughts to notice them before. That was when he sensed Rei standing just beyond his sight through the hole. He froze as realization struck. Indeed, that was Rei, but it wasn't the same body that she had had the first time that he had known her. It felt like an echo. He figured she must have been cloned or something magically equivilent, but he couldn't fathom what it could possibly be for. Certianly not for him. He didn't know anybody that was rich. Well, that rich. Ukyo certainly was well off thanks to her dad, and the Kuno's seemed to have money on trees, but something of that magnitude was way beyond them.
Nabiki suddenly realized something. Rei didn't have any sort of proof that she was Ranma's fiance, no matter what she said. And Nabiki didn't see a ring on her finger either. With a confident smirk she started in. "So Rei, do you have any proof that you are Ranma's official fiance? He does have a few, and all of them had proof." 'Except Shampoo, but that's beside the point.' Nabiki thought to herself. 'Cologne made her own proof wih her fists.'
Rei reached into a pocket and drew forth a small folded piece of paper. Nabiki glanced over to Genma who stare at it in wonder. Then she noticed him edging toward it. Realizing that he wanted to get rid of the note Nabiki snatched it before the panda could get at it, not considering the fact that this was probably going to be causing more problems for Ranma instead of his father. As usual.
Quickly opening it she scanned through the document before coming to the picture clipped to the bottom. Her eyes widened slightly. Yes, this was definetely an official fiance, Nabiki admitted to herself. The paper was signed and dated by Genma and Rei's guardian. Nabiki could tell by the signature that Genma was spectacularly drunk when he had done this. Which made perfect sense, really. It was probably the only way that Ranma could have had a relationship with anybody was to get Genma too drunk or greedy to care that Ranma was already 'destined' for a Tendo.
The photo was of Ranma standing behind Rei, his arms wrapped possesivly around her thin form with a blissful smile on his face. The same smile as on her face actually. Nabiki was stunned. Rei looked like an entirely different girl with a happy expression on her face. She looked down right beautiful, and the girl was only 14 years old in the picture!
Before anything else could be said Ranma appeared in front of Rei. The only one in the room to track his movements had been Rei herself. They looked into each others eyes for a long period of time before Ranma finally spoke tightly.
"You can't be here? How... no, WHY are you here?"
Everybody, especially Rei, could see the moisture in his eyes, and his body trembling as he tried to maintain his composure. Nabiki was downright startled at his control. She never would have believed he had it in him. For some reason she felt herself starting to get a little jealous of all the other girls that Ranma had hanging off of him. She desperately supressed the urge to do that too! Nabiki broke herself forcefully from that train of thought. There was no way that she was going to fall into the same trap as just about every other girl in Nerima. She wasn't even a fighter, she refused to admit to feelings for the baka. But her heart was betraying her. With an effort Nabiki reverted her attention back to the drama unfolding in front of her just in time to hear Rei's response.
Rei was suddenly showing some emotion on her face. Deep regret. "Ranma, please, I can't tell you how I returned, you're don't have enough security clear..."
Her quiet voice was cut off by Ranma's fierce whisper. "You're dead, Rei. I held you in my arms when your eyes went dark, for Kami's sake!" His voice was rising progressivly as he spoke. "I can guess why you're here--I told you I loved you. You even said you loved me back right before you died. But I want to know how, Rei! Can I trust you? Are you the real Rei Ayanami?"
Rei had a pained expression. "I can't tell you how. But I do still love you Ranma. You must believe that! It's still me." Her small hand lightly patted the center of her chest.
Ranma leaned closer to her, his shining blue eyes boring into hers. "I know you're not the same Rei I knew. You may have the same soul, but the body is different. You're a clone, or something, Rei. Do you have the same memories? Do you have the same powers? Do you still have all your feelings? Or did..." Ranma paused, obviously distressed that he couldn't name names, "Whoever take away your humanity again?"
Rei stood there speechless, along with everybody else. Even Nabiki's quick brain hichupped at that admission. Especially when Rei didn't deny it. "Damn it Rei, what happened to you?" Ranma's supressed tears started to streak down his cheeks. "I was only a few feet away from you and I couldn't do a thing. Now you're back YEARS later, but not really, and all I've been able to do was suffer. WHY REI?!"
Rei, being rather literal minded, realized that Ranma already knew that she was a clone, which was the entire reason that she wasn't supposed to tell him anything. But that didn't mean that she could just tell everybody. Obviously none of them except Ranma really believed that she was a clone, but she could see it in her fiance's blue eyes that he knew she wasn't excactly the same, which Rei also knew to be true. That was one thing that the blue haired girl could never do to Ranma, lie to him. She could do it to anyone else if she was ordered to, but never to Ranma. She would simply tell him she couldn't say and hope he would drop it. But this time she couldn't. This time she would lose him forever unless she could convince him she was the girl that he had fallen for those years ago. And that, she felt, was worse than anything else that had or could possibly happen to her. Her creator would frown deeply if he knew she was thinking this. It went against everything that had been strived to achieve with her.
Not that she would admit such deep knowledge of the things that they were trying to do with her, but some things, given that Rei had the highest security, she inevitibly found out, if she wanted to know or not. Most things she had NOT wanted to know. But that was all secondary to what she had to do right then. Looking around the room briefly she evaluated everybody's security clearance and realized that it was all below the lowest level. Meaning the only one that she could say anything more to was Ranma. Perfectly fine with this she reached out and grabbed his hand, tugging him outside. Akane started glaring daggers at the blue haired girl, making her pause and stare back for a few momentsn in a silent questioning gesture completely lossed on the short temepered girl.
Wondering what that was all about Rei turned and continued outside. Looking for a place that nobody could listen in on them proved to be futile until she remembered some of the things that, with Ranma's loving, cheerful encouragement, she had discovered that she actually liked doing, instead of it being required of her. Gathering her energy around her Rei jumped over the wall surrounding the Tendo compound and alighted on the neighboring roof. Ranma smiled as he looked over at his white skinned goddess. She still had the same silent but readable traits that he loved from those years ago. He leapt also, having gotten so strong over so many fights that he didn't even have to use his ki anymore to just jump from roof to roof.
The Tendo's and single other Saotome watched this from the yard around the koi pond, wondering what she wanted to talk about. Well, Nabiki thought that, Akane just thought that Ranma was being a pervert for actually asking for a finace when he already had all those other ones. Conveniently forgetting that, at the time, nobody had ever told him there were a dozen bride to be's all out to get him. He just knew that he would be perfectly willing to spend the rest of his life with Ayanami.
Ranma looked across the short distance between the two of them, wanting to close it and hold her but unwilling to do so until he was sure that at least it was the same soul, with the same memories, as the one he had fallen in love with. He could handle it if she had somehow managed to get herself a new body. "So, Rei, what can you tell me? I remember you were always a little secretive about the stuff you did back then, but I never imagined it might be something this important."
Rei nodded once, finding herself opening up once again now that she was with Ranma. For some reason whenever he was around she found herself blushing, laughing, giggling, and talking freely. Well, as freely as a normal quiet girl. But only when he was around. As soon as he left, indeed, the entire time that he had been gone and Rei had been silently looking for him she had completely closed herself off from the rest of humanity. But now that she was standing next to him again she found herself starting to have emotions well up inside her. Maybe that book she had read was far more accurate than she had given it credit for. He really did seem to be her other half, the half that she was missing and what all men and women were said to be searching for their entire lives until they found it. A soul mate, the one that would complement them perfectly. Rei thought she had found it. Ranma knew he had found it. But then he had lost it. It was a testiment to his mental toughness that he had managed to move on afterwords and not turn into another Soun at the lose of his girl.
Rei took a deep breath and just decided to tell him as much of the truth as was needed to get him to believe. "I work for a company called NERV." Ranma nodded, he knew this part already. "What they are doing is preparing for a war that is said to be happening in about 17 years. I am here because they needed somebody that was guaranteed to be able to work the machines that would allow NERV to win the war. I was created by them to be a tool used in the war. As such, they would need more than just one. So they created many. The problem they encountered was that they could only have one Rei at a time. As soon as one died they could create another, but never before the previous ones death. I am the 8th Rei Ayenami. So you see, it was always the same memories, the same personality, the same soul, just a different character. When you first met me I was the 7th, and lasted a suprisingly long time before something finally happened to me that was a side effect of the war. I shall never live very long in any given incarnation until my purpose has been fulfilled at which time I will die. But I will never stay dead until the war is won. Do you understand so far?"
Ranma hadn't blinked the entire time she had been speaking and she was starting to worry about him. He finally blinked and nodded after a few moments, working everything she had said around in his mind. He could believe that. He had seen some of what they were talking about on the TV. Nothing about second impact had really suprised him all that much, especially after they had said that they had managed to kill the beast before it had totally destroyed the ice caps. The ocean levels had risen a bit, but it wasn't anything that couldn't be handled. The blast had been contained by something, nobody was exatly sure what, but something was there and had kept the entire ice caps from breaking. Ranma thought he had recognized some of Cologne and Happoasia's ki signatures, but that wasn't something he could rely on over the TV. Be that as it may, Rei seemed to be coming clean so far with her explanation. He smiled at her, encouraging her to finish her story.
Rei's lips curled up in the first smile she had done since she had died the eighth time so long ago. "However, while I was with you I had another reason to live. That is why I lasted so long before something killed me again thanks to the war. Even now the war is being fought, but it's a war of preparation, not of physical strength so far. When you had to leave that day I realized that once again I had nothing to live for except as a tool, and thus my life was taken again so that the other side might be able to win. Like all the other times the enemy was succesful but I was cloned and my soul once again came to life. It hasn't been pleasant, but it has alloweed me to survive long enough to have met you twice. I hope, now that I have run into you again, that I may have a reason to live again. I do not wish to die any more."
Ranma stared wide eyed at his former girlfriend, and current Fiance if what he recalled of those months that he had spent with her were true. He had proposed to her, hadn't he? Gotten his father drunk enought to go along with the engagment. He hadn't known how Rei had gotten her guardiens permission but she had. At the time it had been a great idea, similar to what Ukyo's had been when they were six. Find the person you want to know for the rest of your life and share it with them by getting married. Ukyo, especially given her clothes, he had a real hard time getting to know better than just a friend. His best friend, but not the romance that Ukyo was looking for from him. With a start he realized that he was going to have to get the rest of his fiances figured out now that Rei was back. He had always been a little leery of actually marrying Akane for some reason, now he knew who that reason was.
"Rei, I believe you." He pulled her into a tight embrace. Rei sighed against his chest in contentment. This was what she had wanted to do this entire time. "It doesn't even sound as strange as some of the things that have been going on around here, but in general, your weirdness should fit right in with everybody elses."
She smiled, remebering how strange some of the things that had happened to him back then were. She could only imagine how they had grown as he had. "Oh, and Rei," Ranma said.
She looked up at him. "Hai?"
"I stilll love you Rei," Ranma said leaning down toward her.
"I also still love you, Ranma," Rei replied, tilting her head back, eagerly accepting the kiss, once again feeling emotions bubbling forth within her and eagerly accepting them now that she was with Ranma.
Somethings were just worth living for, like Ranma. Ranma was just starting to notice the effects that hugging Rei tightly had on his body when he sensed someone behind him. Rei, having no idea who these people were wouldn't say anything about it no matter who it was. Not breaking from the embrace Ranma glanced over his shoulder to see Shampoo standing there with a glare on her face, her cuteness ruining the expression she was going for.
Ranma pasted a 'nothing-is-going-on-here' smile on his face. "Hey Shampoo, what's up?"
Shampoo's glare shifted back and forth between Ranma and the girl he was still hugging. Finally, she turned her attention to the blue haired girl. "Who you?" She asked, waving a bonbori at her for emphasis.
Rei looked at her, making Shampoo hold back a bit by the cold gaze that she was getting. She kept looking at the purple haired girl until Ranma thought that Shampoo might actually attack the girl for ignoring her.
Finally, Rei spoke. "I am Rei Ayanami."
Shampoo paused, waiting for the girl to continue. She glared harder when things didn't seem to be going her way. Ranma was starting to get a little nervous. He always managed to get hurt whenever girls faught over him, it was something that he was quickly learning how to avoid whenever possible. He decided to try and get everyone to sit down and listen to the story, if Rei hadn't already told all of them what had happened between them.
"Hey, Shampoo. Could you wait until after everything gets explained? I would really like to be able to talk with only one hole in the wall instead of several." Shampoo regards him for a minute, then nods. Ranma wasn't sure what he was going to be doing once he got them all there, but he would wing it like always. Stranger things had happened than somebody listening to him.
* * *
Ranma regarded the women arrayed before him. There was Kasumi, still looking serene despite the slightly flustered aura that she had about her. Nabiki was looking cool and collected as usual, but she kept sending glances between Ranma and Rei that made him a little uneasy, like she knew something that she wasn't letting on until the right time to make some yen. Akane had lost her enraged look and was going with the bewildered one. Ranma thought it was a rather funny expression on her. Rei just looked like Rei, though if he looked into her eyes he could see the sadness mixed with joy, probably akin to what he was feeling after seeing her for the first time in so many years. Escpecially given what she had been through to get back to him.
Ranma's fist clenched unconciously as he contemplated some of the things that had been happening to the pale girl. So much pain that he coudln't prevent, something else that his martial arts hadn't helped in in. Heck, he didn't even know what he was supposed to do when a girl started crying, for that was something that his father had never known, so never taught his son. Ranma was sure that if he had spent some more time around his mother he would have figured out what he needed to do by now when girls started to cry. Unfortunetely, he knew that there were going to be some tears shed that night and the son of Genma had no idea what to do about it, no matter how much he thought upon the matter. He finally just decided to do whatever felt right and watch the girl closely for any reactions. He nodded to himself, that was a plan that worked whenever he got in a fight, hopefully his ability to read people would transfer over to noncombative situations.
"Well, I'm not sure how much Rei has already told you, but I knew her about the same time that I was going to school with Ryoga." Everybody around the table nodded. They had already heard this part from the blue haired girl. Ranma noticed this.
"So...uh, when did she leave off anyway?" Ranma glanced over at Rei, but knew that she wouldn't care if he asked everybody else. She hated to repeart herself, and wouldn't speak unless he wanted to. Ranma could tell that she really didn't want to at the moment, for she was enjoying looking at him far too much to bother thinking about speaking to those around her. She would probably spend all the time in the world talking with him, but she knew he had some things that needed to be taken care of before they could get some time alone to cuddle and talk like they used to.
Nabiki decided to, once again, take charge of the conversation. She was sometimes disgusted with those that were related to her. She wondered if she got ALL the brains of the family. Her dad and little sister obviously didn't have much to contribute in that department. "I think we got most of the facts, Ranma. But that's all we got. Maybe you could fill in the gaps, hmm?" She tried to keep the sharpness out of her voice, she really did.
Ranma sent a look her way. "Yes, I know she can be a little quiet sometimes, but you'll get used to it." He flashed the pale girl a look so quick that most people there missed it. Rei, however, did not, and correctly interepreted to meant that he knew she was there and wasn't insulting her. She accepted this, for she knew that he wouldn't lie to her. To everyone else it just looked like she sat there and ignored everything that was going on around her, including Ranma talking about her as if she wasn't there. this was a major contributor to her being known as a very strange girl.
"Huh, well, I suppose I should start at the beginning. It all started the first day that I had shown up at the school. This was way before Ryoga and I ran into each other." Ranma continued with the story, going through many of the things that they had done that just felt right, instead of doing it becuase it was the accepted thing to do. The two of them were about the most antisocial people in excisitince, even though they didn't know it.
A 14 year old Ranma is walking along the top of a fence, cheerfully whistling, left hand in his pocket, right holding his bookbag over his shoulder. A 14 year old Rei is walking towards him, holding her back in one hand, unconscious gracefullness in her movements.
Both are wondering about the other, Ranma as to what she had done in order to aquire such poise in her movements, Rei to figure out why in the world somebody would walk along the top of a fence. While Ranma wouldn't have his question answered for a very long time, Rei's curiosity would be satsified far too quickly for the pig tailed boy's tastes. They introduced themselves, which was all the social graces Rei would allow before satisfyig her curiousity.
"Why are you walking on the fence?"
"Balance practice. I'm a martial artist."
Rei nodded. Ranma stood there blinking, thinking that there was going to be more to the coversation. They reached the school shortly and entered it, Rei getting lost in the multitude of people. Ranma didn't want to atract any more attention to himself by climbing around the walls so he desided to wait for her after school. It just didn't sit well with him that she seemed so devoid of emotion.
Ranma is crouched on the fence around the main entrence looking for light blue hair and a cold expression. After a short while he spots her, a small area around her devoid of students as they avoided her for being so frigid.
"REI!" Ranma shouted to get her attention, hoping that she would be able to hear him over the hubub of the departing croud.
She turned and looked right at him, an eyebrow raised slightly in inquiery. Only Rama noticed it, even though he was farthest from the girl. "I wanna talk to you!"
He leapt down into the crowd and headed toward her as fast as he could. Finally he stepped into the empty space around her, finding it convenient even if he didn't like seeing it happen to somebody.
"What is it Saotome-san?" She never broke stride as she talked, just stared straight ahead, only sparing him the briefest glance to see if he was actually paying attention or just walking next to her. Once again she moved so fast and subtly only Ranma noticed it.
"I was just wonderin' if you do any martial arts or somethin'."
Rei blinked in surprise. Once. "Why?"
"'Cause of the way you move. It's so fluid and natural. I'm the only other person I've seen that can move like that, and I've been studying martial arts my entire life."
"I do not know." As far as Rei was concerned the conversation was over, but of course Ranma doesn't think anything like the red eyed girl.
"What, have you always moved like that?"
"Yes."
"Oh."
They strode along in silence, Ranma wondering why she wasn't saying anything and Rei wondering why he was still walking with her. Most people would have left long ago. Ranma was trying his hardest to think of a subject that would get the girl to open up. He wanted her to have at least one friend, and if it was him, so much the better.
"Rei?" Another quick glance. "Umm, you wanna stop and get some ice cream or something? I'm hungry." Food was one of the first things that occured to him for a subject to talk with her about.
"It doesn't matter to me. I have never had ice cream." Neither accepted or declined. Ranma decided to see that as an acceptance. Which was good, since that was what Rei had intended. She was merely stating a fact and, by not saying no, thought he would assume she wanted to. They were both fortunate Ranma had somehow managed to read her right.
"Alright, let's go then. I cant believe you've never had ice cream before. Every girl I've ever met loves ice cream!" Ranma was dumbfounded, since she obviously wasn't pulling his leg.
Rei actually shrugged, a movement that was so subtle Ranma had trouble seeing it. But notice it he did. It made him feel good that he as getting her to react to him.
"I am not a normal girl." There as the fainted hint of sadness in the blue haired girls voice. It gave Ranma pause, as it had been the first emotion he had detected from her. He was hoping it wouldn't be the only one.
"Well, why do you say that? I mean, your eyes are...amazing, but other than that you look like a pretty cute girl to me." Ranma's ignorance shown through once again, shoving his foot in his mouth without even meaning to.
Rei turned and gazed at the boy beside her, meeting his own slightly confused gaze. She had to admit that his eyes were different too. Such an amazing blue that caused her to stare into their depths for far longer than she had intended.
"You have interesting eye's also, Saotome-san."
Ranma blinked, finally coming out of his daze. "Ah...thanks, Rei." She nodded and they started walking toward an ice cream shop, a comfortable silence descending between them.
That was the first of many encounters between the two. Since they were the only two peole that they ever spent time with it became clear that they were having feelings deeper than just friends. Rei was the first to admit this, for she hadn't ever expirienced anything remotely like it and wanted Ranma to explain to her why she felt longing and desire whenever he was away. That seemed to cause things to snowball until they freely admitted that they were a couple. Though it did take some time for the two inexpirienced teens to figure everything out.
"Well, that's pretty much how it happened, though i did shorten the story a bit to allow for people's attention span." Ranma glanced around the room, completely surprised to find that just about everybody was riveted to his every word, ecept for Rei, who just sat staring at him with her unblinking gaze. He smiled at her and was rewarded with one of her own.
"And you never thought to mention her to anybody, Ranma?" Nabiki questioned.
"No, she was dead. I didn't think I needed to mention my first dead love to anybody else, it would just open wounds that didn't need to be." He responded with a glare. "How often do you talk about your mother?"
The Tendo's winced at his words but couldn't refute his reasoning. "Alright Saotome, but are you going to tell us why she suddenly came back to you?"
Rei interupted, surprising everybody in the room. "Because I love him. Because I wish to spend time with him."
Ranma smiled and patted her arm. "What she said."
Nabiki eye's widened. "So you freely admit that you love this girl?"
"Urk!" Ranma choked for a moment, just long enough for Nabiki's smirk to reapear, thinking she had the higher ground before he calmed and continued. "Yeah, I do love her. That never stopped when she died."
"What about Akane, then? You love her too, don't you." Nabiki tried her best to not make it sound like a question.
"I like her, but I don't love her nearly as much as I do Rei."
At that the first real expression Rei had shown appeared. A blush spread across her cheeks, a pleased smile crossing her lips before she schooled her expression into nothingness once more.
At this point Soun and Genma came out of their stupor at the fact that Ranma had admited to his feelings. "But you still love Akane, right?" Soun demanded to know.
"Well, uh, that is to say..." Ranma's built in defenses against unwanted weddings kicked in when dealing with questions about Akane.
Undeterred by his lack of response Soun continued. "So you'll marry my little Akane this afternoon, right?" His tounge had started forking while he was speaking, showing what would happen if Ranma didn't agree to the request.
Only Ranma and Nabiki noticed Rei's eyes narrow in anger toward the Tendo family head. Akane's own anti-wedding defenses now took hold of her vocal cords. "What makes you think I want to marry him?!"
Nabiki looked on in mild shock. She would have thought even somebody as dense as her little sister would have realized that this was probably her last chance at Ranma. It was obvious Ranma wouldn't be putting up much a fight if somebody started threatening him to marry the Ayanami girl. If Akane managed to annoy him enough, or if she got her father to back off too much Ranma would be gone from their lives. As much as Nabiki didn't want to admit it, the pig-tailed martial artist had grown on her, and she knew she would miss him terribly if he should ever dissapear from their lives to never return. Something that seemed more and more likely as time went by, and this discussion with the newest fiance got worse and worse for the youngest Tendo.
Akane started putting nails in the coffin. "He's such an insensative jerk, and he's always calling me a tomboy and saying that I can't cook!" She eyed the rest of her family, as if daring them to say anything one the matter. Getting nothing but silence from them she continued. "He's a pervert, too. Has been ever since he showed up! I'm sure you've seen him making out with his other fiances'! He puts the entire male species to shame! Ryoga is always nice and considerate. Why can't he be more like him? Then maybe somebody would actually like him, instead of just trying to satsify honor." Akane finally seemed to realize a little of what she had just said, and the situation she was in and promptly shut up. Of course, given the pride than ran in the Tendo and Saotome families, Akane couldn't apologize, no, she was the girl, she was the youngest, she was always right. That's how it had been throughout her entire life, why would anything be different now? They would forgive her and things would move on the same like they had always done before.
Nabiki, her mind reeling in shock at her sister's harsh words, watched as Ranma took a deep breath, as if he was gathering his courage for the biggest fight of his life. Her eyes widened in horror as she realized that her younger sister had just managed to get Ranma to make a decision on who he was going to marry. She knew that there would be no saving of the situation. She could hate Ranma for how much he was about to hurt her little sister, but, for some reason, the rage just wouldn't come like she thought it would. All she felt for her imotochan was pitty. Pitty that she couldn't see what was coming. Some of it was even there for Ranma. He was ruining something that had never even had a chance to start. Who knew how it would have turned out, but now it apparently wasn't going to even get a beginning. Rei had taken that spot at Ranma's side, and she looked entirely pleased with the situation. At least, Nabiki thought that's what she would be feeling. Her face was still a blank mask.
"Tendo-san, I don't want to seem rude, but don't you think you should take your daughters feelings into consideration? She obviously doesn't want to marry me. I don't want to marry her all that much either." Only Nabiki and Rei heard the unspoken 'yet'. "I don't want to marry Ukyo or Shampoo, either." Ranma's eyes flicked to the side where Rei was sitting. The corner of the blue haired girls mouth quirked up in her special little smile for him, giving him strength for what he would probably have to do.
"I want to marry Rei." Even Rei's eyes' widened at that. Nobody had expected him to be so blunt. Though now that Nabiki thought about it, it was probably the only way to really get their fathers to realize what was happening.
For some reason that everybody in the room wondered at, especially Rei, Soun ignored his daughters protests and fixated on Ranma's. "Are you saying you're not going to marry my daughter?!" Soun's head was now in full demon mode, long forked tongue slinking around dangerously.
Everyone blink-blinked. "Ah, yeah. I just said that. I'm going to marry Rei Ayanami." Ranma said again. Everyone except Soun stared at him in amazement. The Demon Head Attack didn't work?!
Soun instantly deflated, his eyes already starting to tear up as he stared at him in disbelief. "You're going to marry...her?" He pointed a shaky finger at the light-blue haired girl sitting beside Ranma.
Now everyone had a sweatdrop. Soun was being especially slow that day. The only one that wasn't sporting a large bead of sweat was Genma, as he had leapt over the table to punch his son in the head. Ranma, however, wasn't having anything to do with that and ducked under the fast moving fist. Foiled, Genma moved into a headlock, trying to go for a chokehold to get Ranma under his control again.
Right before he could get his arm around his son's head, a transparent red octagonal wall appeared an inch away from Ranma's skin. Genma impacted with the curved energy wall and bounced off of it. The sweatdrops had disappeared to be replaced by wide eyed astonishment. Genma got up off the ground and looked at his boy in wonder. He hadn't ever done that before!
Ranma, however, looked to his newest fiance with questioning eyes. Rei looked back with glowing pupils, her short hair fluttering around her face, giving her an unnatural beauty wholly fitting with her glowing eyes.
Ranma cocked his head to the side in question, the red wall changing shape when he moved. Had she finally managed to completely control her powers?
The corner of Rei's mouth curved upwards a few millimeters. Only Ranma noticed, and only he and Rei knew the others thoughts enough to communicate by a look into the eyes and an expression. Yes, she had. Ranma gave her a big grin, happy that she had finally accomplished something that she had been working on for as long as she could remember. She had just started to get somewhere after years of trying while Ranma had known her. They had always thought that he might have had something to do with it, showing her a few kata's to help keep her mind focused. Rei always thought it was Ranma himself who had given her the strength needed to harness the awesome energy she contained.
She had mentioned that to him once and he had seemed dumbstruck by it, like he hadn't even thought that his presence would have anything to do with her performance. Then he started to think about it and realized that he had indeed performed better himself when she was watching him.
Ranma wanted to ask her how it had happened, and when, but realized that it was probably a bad time at the moment. Especially the way everybody was still staring at him. Nobody had yet to look at Rei, so they all thought it was his own doing. Well, maybe they would find out how much the albino could do on her own, maybe they wouldn't. Ranma wouldn't have any qualms either way. He knew Rei could take care of herself if she was the slightest bit prepared, much like himself in that respect.
"That's a new one, Saotome," Nabiki finally said, trying to get things on track.
Ranma grinned at her, infuriating the girl since she couldn't read what type of grin it was.
"I wish to spend time with you, Ranma." Rei's quiet voice managed to cut through the silence that had fallen again after Nabiki had spoken.
Ranma turned to her and nodded. "Yeah, that's what being married is all about. We'd live together, sleep together, spend pretty much all the time with each other."
Everybody saw the small smile Rei got at hearing that. "I think I will like being married to you, Ranma."
"Now, wait a minute!" Akane sputtered. "What do you mean you're going to marry her?"
Ranma and Rei gave the youngest Tendo identical blank stares. The couple shared another brief glance. They teased Akane with their eyes, telling one another of the girls denseness. It took all of a second for them to have the entire conversation.
"I mean what I just said Akane. I really like Rei, and I'm going to be engaged to her," Ranma said matter of factly.
Rei blinked. "I thought you said we would be wed."
Ranma blinked in turn. "Yeah, we will, but not right now. Being engaged is a promise to get married, that's what that piece of paper you have is for. It says we'll get married when we're old enough," Ranma explained.
Rei looked at him for another few moments, Ranma reading the shimmers of confusion in her crimson orbs. If you thought about it, those blood colored eyes were rather unnerving, but they never bothered Ranma. "Being married to you sounds very pleasant. Age of consent in Japan is 14. I wish to be married now, Ranma."
Ranma jerked in surprise, though he should have figured something like this would happen once Rei realized what the good things about marriage were. Maybe he could get her to delay this a bit by telling her some of the bad things....
"Look, Rei, I know marriage sounds wonderful, I want to marry you too. But I don't know if I'm ready for everything else marriage brings on. Like kids. I'm not ready for kids yet, that's something else that marriage signifies." Ranma knew Rei didn't like children very much from when they were younger.
The shimmers in her eyes changed to that of revulsion. "I do not like children," She intoned. A moment of consideration followed before she admitted, "I am unable to bear a child, Ranma."
Ranma eyes widened in surprise at that. He hadn't known that. Maybe it was something that had happened to her recently. It would make sense if she was a clone. Maybe they hadn't gotten everything just right?
"Oh my, that's so sad," Kasumi said. "I hope you're not too disappointed."
Rei looked at her for a long moment, and those around her were sure she would have sported a huge sweatdrop if she wasn't so in control of her emotions. "I am not sad."
Kasumi beamed at her. "Well, that's good."
"So what are you going to tell those other girls you've been stringing along?" Akane demanded to know.
"Same thing I told you. I like Rei." Rei nodded at Ranma's words.
"And I like Ranma," She added.
Ranma shot her another look, and her chin twitched up and down a millimeter, signaling that she had gotten the message and they would talk later. Rei almost blushed when she thought about what else they might do while alone on the roof. She so enjoyed cuddling it seemed like she was addicted.
"Well, if you finally made up your mind and you're not going to be engaged to a Tendo anymore, than it seems you won't be our guest anymore." Nabiki was obviously trying to get something to go right for her during all this.
Rei spoke up again, making Ranma marvel at her. She normally wouldn't talk this much even if she did have something to say. She would just tell Ranma and let him spread it around. "He can stay with me. I have an apartment supplied by my employer."
Ranma caught the hidden meaning in that. It made him wonder what kind of place she would have given that she was a clone necessary for the survival of the giant company NERV. He hoped it wasn't too extravagant, since he never knew what to do with all that extra fluff if he was surrounded by it. The Kuno siblings always made Ranma wonder how in the world they lived like that and didn't feel strange or left out. Ranma then thought about the way the Kuno's were and decided that that may very well be the problem.
Soun was still blubbering off to the side, and Kasumi was frowning at him, finding it rather rude that the head of the household would go off to cry while guests were still being attended to. Kasumi just knew that this was why they never had any guests until the Saotome's had shown up. She would be sorry to see the younger Saotome go, as he was always very kind to her, and made the nicest compliments on her cooking.
Genma realized that things were getting out of his control. Unless he could get Soun to let Ranma stay at the Tendo dojo, nobody present would ever see his son again. Genma had tried to find that girl Rei's apartment, but for some reason had never been able to come across it. Even given how large Tokyo 3 was he should have been able to trail the little girl to her home. He was fairly certain she had been living there even when she was 14. If Ranma lived there too he knew there would be no way he could find him, since Ranma had higher endurance than himself. Hoping to get his old friend out of his crying fit and into some semblance of control so they could plot a little Genma grabbed Soun and dragged the mustached man out of the room.
Ranma and Rei both noted this, a quick glance between them conveying the message to stay alert for bad traps and bad excused for why he should stay at the Tendo home. Nabiki also noticed her father's leave of absence and correctly deduced that Genma must have something to do with it, since once Ranma was gone he couldn't marry a Tendo, meaning Genma would also have to leave. Then Nabiki's eyes widened in horror as she contemplated what her father might do while in his current state. It was conceivable that Ranma's father could talk her's into letting the panda stay even though his son had left, for old times sake or some such excuse.
Nabiki was sure that if Ranma wasn't around to help with the bills and whatnot there would be no hope for them to stay in the same house. They were barely scraping by as it was, and Ranma brought in more cash than he used, even considering how often the walls had to be repaired. Or maybe that was because of it, with such entertaining fights people were willing to pay money. Without that Nabiki would be down a good percentage of her monthly profits. If Genma wasn't around then things would just go back to the way they were before the Saotome's had shown up, but if the panda still resided with them he would literally eat them out of house and home.
While Nabiki wasn't exactly the sentimental sort, she cared about family, and she cared about the house she had grown up in. While she couldn't wait to move out of it, she had always been secure in the knowledge that it would be in good hands when Ranma took it over. Now that that wasn't going to happen she didn't know where it would end up, especially if Akane was the only one left to defend their sign should another dojo destroyer come along.
Nabiki wasn't blind, she could see how much better Ranma was than Akane. If Ranma had troubles beating his opponents Nabiki had no trouble seeing Akane being laid out on the mat with little effort. And the Tendo dojo would be no more. Something would have to change if things were going to stay the way the middle Tendo daughter wanted them. If Ranma left, Genma would too. Her daddy would have to be convinced to find some other way of making sure the dojo stayed in their hands, whether it be training again and taking on students or making sure Akane was actually good enough to do the job.
That magical dogi that Akane had gotten was proof that the girl had talent, but with the way she treated it as a hobby that was her born right to be the best at there was no way she would ever be able to become truly great like Ranma. On the other hand, Nabiki could try and arrange it so that Ranma remained engaged to them and had to stay at the Tendo dojo, thus keeping everything the same that way. Either one was all right in Nabiki's book, as she rather liked having the boy around. He always did make things interesting. Heck, she could probably make a 38 manga series on his exploits if she had the artistic talent.
The only question was how to go about doing any one of those options. Ranma was obviously pretty serious about that girl, and would be hard to sway. Genma could be persuasive, especially on her father, so that was also iffy, on either getting him to leave or actually train Akane like he had Ranma. Nothing seemed to be going good for Nabiki and she was feeling a little desperate. Maybe if she managed to get some more information from the blue haired girl she could think of a solution.
"Hey Rei," Nabiki said.
Rei turned her head and quietly regarded her. Staring into her red eyes Nabiki started to get a little nervous and had to ruthlessly suppress the urge to fidget in her seat. Now was not the time to show any weakness, not in front of a girl like Rei Ayanami.
Finally Rei responded. "Yes?"
Nabiki couldn't help the quiet sigh of relief that she had actually gotten a response. "I was wondering who your employers are."
Rei stared at her for several moments more before deciding that information wasn't classified. "NERV."
Nabiki's mouth dropped open and her eyes widened till they took up 90% of her face. "D-d-did you say... NERV?"
Rei hid her annoyance at having to repeat herself and nodded once.
"I don't believe it. NERV. Are you sure you're not getting that confused with some other company?" Nabiki was having trouble believing her ears.
Ranma knew Rei was getting annoyed so he answered for her. "Yeah, she said NERV. I know she works there, I've been to the building a few times. Just not very much inside of it. Though I have talked to the president a few times. Not a pleasant fellow."
Ranma felt Rei shoot him a look and glanced back at her, wondering what he had said. Her shimmering eyes told him they would talk about that later too. He inclined his head a millimeter in agreement as he had no idea what she was talking about.
Nabiki's wild expression turned to Ranma. "You've talked to the PRESIDENT of NERV????? AND YOU DIDN'T THINK TO MENTION THIS TO ME AT ANY TIME SINCE YOU SHOWED UP???!!?"
Ranma had jumped backwards and was presenting warding signs. That had NOT been a reaction he expected from Nabiki. "Ahh, sorry?"
Nabiki hyperventilated, her nostrils flaring as her chest heaved. She could not believe Ranma would know the president of NERV, have a relationship with somebody who was very high up in their ranks if just about anything she said was classified, and hadn't ever mentioned this to her. She was about to start telling again when Ranma spoke once more.
"I didn't mention it because my GIRLFRIEND, closely associated with NERV, had died in my arms. It brought back bad memories, okay?" Ranma's hand unconsciously reached back and gripped Rei's small one, engulfing it.
Rei looked down and stared at their contact, mesmerized by how well her hand fit within his larger, rougher one. It looked like she was ignoring everything that was going on around her, even though she wasn't. That fact is what made Nabiki do what she did.
"Look, Ranma," She began, not entirely sure of how to broach the subject. "I know I haven't been the easiest person to get along with since you've known me, but you do know it's not entirely personal gain, right?"
Ranma nodded at her, starting to get a little worried at where this was going.
"I like this house, it has a lot of good memories and sentimentality. I don't want to see it fall into someone else's hands. I would also like to keep the dojo where it is, under our control." Nabiki paused as she once again went over in her mind what she was doing. Was it worth it? Would she really be able to gain anything by doing this? One thought about NERV and all her questions were answered. "So, if for no other reason than to get myself set up so I can provide for the family and keep this house in my name, I'm asking you if you would help me at NERV."
Ranma sat and regarded her for a minute, wondering what she expected him to do to help her at NERV. He had talked to Gendo Ikari a few times when he had been with Rei, since she had gone to the building a few times while she was with him for some reason or another. Ranma hadn't even known who the man was until he had asked Rei why he was always out front to meet her there. That had been his first sign that she was something special. The second, and main one, had been when she started practicing her AT field around him, since she was supposed to do so for so many hours a week and had been falling behind from spending so much time with her boyfriend.
She had decided that it would be easy to combine the two, since her Ranma was always performing his martial arts he wouldn't mind if she practiced her skills. Once she had told him that it wasn't possible to know how she was able to do that he had simply agreed and started pumping her for the specifics of how it worked. Seeing as how the only person who could duplicate an AT field was an angel, or part angel, like herself she had told him anything he had wanted to know.
The pigtailed martial artist had obviously been confused as to some of her references as to what she was doing to get the indestructible red panels to form, but she had been rather amused at his attempts to duplicate one. While not possible for a human, it amazed her what a simple human could do with a bit of training. She had been able to almost see the barrier he had formed with his own energy, but he had apparently given that technique up when she had died. A pity, it would probably have been very powerful by now.
Right before Ranma could respond to Nabiki's request Genma and Soun were suddenly standing behind them. Genma behind Ranma and Soun behind his daughter. "Good idea, Nabiki!" Genma cheered.
"Yes yes, good job daughter," Soun agreed.
Nabiki, Ranma and Rei looked at them in confusion.
"Yes Nabiki, it's very good that you've decided to engage yourself to Ranma so as to help further along the Tendo home and dojo," Soun declared happily, silent tears tracking down his cheeks.
Nabiki gasped in horror. This hadn't been what she wanted at all!
Ranma and Rei stiffened in shock. This hadn't been what they wanted at all!
Genma nodded in agreement with his friend. "Yes, isn't it wonderful Tendo. I just hadn't imagine that your middle daughter would have those kinds of feelings for my son. Why, the only one his charm hasn't worked on yet is Kasumi."
Nabiki was shaking her head wildly in denial, a gesture that both Rei and Ranma noticed and understood as meaning she hadn't meant for this to happen in the least. Genma and Soun ignored it completely.
"Well," Genma said, "When should we hold the wedding?" He suddenly shoved Ranma forward, but his grip on his beloved was strong and Rei was pulled along after him. Soun had gently nudged Nabiki forward, sending her hurtling towards Genma's son.
Ranma squawked in fear as he realized there were two girls that he really didn't want getting hurt heading right towards each other, with him in the middle. He stuck his left arm out and gently caught Nabiki in the stomach, lifting her up and over his head while twisting his hand around so she landed on her butt instead of her noggin. At the same time he whipped his right arm to the side, pulling Rei forward and underneath his arm. He then spun himself around so he was facing away from the direction he was traveling in and managed to catch both girls on his lap so their backs gently bumped into the other's.
He skidded to a sudden halt atop the table on his backside, both girls cradled protectively against his chest, his arms holding them tight. They sat for a moment in stunned silence before Nabiki and Ranma both shouted to their respective father's.
"Hey, what's the big idea?!?!"
The two looked at each other for a moment in surprise. Genma jumped at the chance. "See Tendo, they already make a great couple."
He had forgotten that Rei was also sitting in his son's lap. Soun noticed this. "I don't know, Saotome. Polygamy is illegal in Japan, you know. If they could get it to work, though..." Nabiki's father had a thoughtful expression on his face as he regarded the three of them.
Ranma couldn't believe this. What had happened to Soun? Usually he was the one that was adamant about Ranma marrying only a Tendo.
Rei couldn't believe this. She was the only one that was supposed to marry Ranma, she didn't want to have to share with that girl Nabiki.
Nabiki couldn't believe this. It was supposed to have been a simple request for a little help on getting her foot into the door of big business and intrigue, now she was engaged to a real ice queen and a jock. She almost felt like crying.
Akane finally decided to rejoin the conversation. "Hey, what about me? I'm the one engaged to him, you know."
Ranma looked at the girl in wonder. So now she finally admits it.
Genma looked at her a bit startled. He had thought for sure Akane had broken the engagement again. He thought back on it and finally realized that it had been Ranma who had done so. He hadn't actually said it like that, but he had said he didn't want to marry Akane, thus breaking the contract. Since Shampoo and Ukyo weren't there he didn't count their declarations as having counted. Nabiki really was engaged to Ranma. Now Genma just had to convince everybody else of this.
Nabiki knew she would never live this down. To have been engaged to him once under her control had been interesting and very profitable, but to have this happen to her at random wasn't acceptable. There had to be some way for her to get out of this, but the only thing she could think of was renounce it. Then it would fall onto Kasumi, and Nabiki didn't have any problems imagining her gentle and considerate older sister going along with it even if she didn't want to.
Which meant Nabiki herself would have to be the one that got herself, and the Tendo's, out of this mess. If Ranma wasn't going to marry one of them, and Akane was being far too stubborn for her own good, then Nabiki would do what she could to keep things as they were. If she had to go with Ranma to get herself that job at NERV and hope Akane and Kasumi could keep the house under control then that's what she would do.
"Akane, I just said I'm not going to marry you. That mean's we're not engaged anymore." Ranma glanced at Nabiki for a moment in wonder, as he hadn't figured out what her plans were to deal with the situation she found herself in. "Nabiki is something else, but I'm sure she can figure things out for herself. Shampoo and Ukyo I'm going to have to deal with before I leave with Rei."
Rei beamed at him, but for everybody else it looked like a slight smile. To Ranma it felt like he had been mortally wounded by cuteness rays. To have her show such emotion among people she didn't know the girl must have been really, really happy.
"Well fine, you just go off with your newest hussy! See if I care!" Akane shouted at her former fiance.
"You should care, this is gonna be your last chance," Nabiki informed her younger sister.
Akane's expression seemed to soften a bit as she looked back and forth between Ranma, Nabiki and Rei. Then she realized where the three were still sitting, with neither girl seeming very eager to move, and started getting mad all over again. Nabiki and Ranma both saw this and knew Akane was out of it. If she couldn't manage to control her temper for a few minutes when it was demanded of her then she had some problems she needed to get through before she ended up alone. More alone.
"I never even liked him, what makes you think I do now? And you Nabiki, since when have you cared about anything besides money? Always borrowing my clothes and never asking, and now you're taking my fiance the same way." Akane was feeling a little better having vented, and with her nose in the air completely missed the hurt looks on Ranma and Nabiki's faces.
"You have once again demonstrated your ability to be a spoiled brat Akane. I'm not going to take any more of this family, I don't know if I can stand it." Ranma was looking right at her face while she was talking as the girl was sitting in his lap still, something that surprised him. He had thought for sure she would want to get out of that position as soon as possible, but she had seemed perfectly content to remain in his protective embrace, much like Rei.
The pigtailed martial artist could read the emotions going through her, or at least some of them. He could see the disgust for her sister, he could see her sadness that everything was probably going to be lost, and he could see her determination to see things through to their conclusion. It impressed him, impressed upon him that she wasn't doing this for her own good. Or she hadn't. Now that things had taken a turn for the worse it looked as if she might be, since her family had thrown everything on her. Most of those things they wouldn't even admit to, either, yet the young woman took the pressure and seemed to thrive. No more, now Nabiki was going to do things and work for her own interests. Her family had all grown up physically, it was high time they started to do things on their own.
"This has been building up for a while, hasn't it," Ranma's quiet words weren't a question.
Nabiki glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, not really believing that he had been able to read her so easily, despite the fact she wasn't exactly trying to hide what she was thinking at the moment. Well, if he could communicate with that icicle called Rei she supposed he must have some skills in reading people. He had just never bothered to use them before, or something. Maybe it had something to do with his memories of her. That could be it.
Akane hadn't been able to hear what they had said, but she assumed the worst. "I can't believe you three, all just sitting together like you've been doing this for a while now. I'm glad I'm not engaged to Ranma anymore, as it seems you've been working on this for a while Nabiki!" Not wanting to see anymore the girl stormed from the room. Genma and Soun looked at each other and nodded, thinking that this was for the best.
Nabiki opened her mouth to protest but realized the other girl was already gone. She also realized that she was still planted on Ranma's lap and had been rather comfortable there for the last few minutes. She blushed at this realization, but didn't want to think about it.
"You can let me go now Ranma," Nabiki said, trying to keep her voice as cool as Rei's and failing.
Ranma blushed and released her. Having the two girl's small weights upon him was hardly even noticeable as far as he was concerned. After Nabiki left Rei simply shifted herself backwards to take up his entire lap and gently lean herself against his chest. Ranma looked down at her in silent shock. She had never been his open last time they had been together, at least with other people present.
"That's it son," Genma congratulated his offspring. "Get to know your new fiance quickly. Be aggressive."
Soun looked a little perturbed by this, but decided to let it slide for now, as sitting in one's lap was something he didn't think of as inappropriate. He would have to have a talk later with both Genma and Ranma about treating his little girls right. The sort of thing Genma was encouraging wasn't what good little girls were supposed to do. Of course, the way his friends wife had been when they were younger he supposed that was to be expected.
"Now, don't ignore your fiance Ranma. Go look after her," Soun said, gesturing for him to go follow after Nabiki as she was leaving the room and heading up the stairs, presumably to her room.
"Riiiiight, Mr. Tendo." Ranma tried to keep the sarcasm out of his statement, he really did.
Soun scowled at the young man. That wasn't any way to treat his elders. "Now listen here young man, I'll have you know that when I was your age we had some respect for those that..."
He didn't get to continue as Rei somehow forcefully cut him off. "I wish to speak to Ranma alone. Excuse us." The blue haired girl elegantly stood from her favored position on Ranma's lap and tugged him to his feet.
She calmly turned and walked out of the Tendo house, Ranma trailing along after her without a question. Genma and Soun looked at them a little scared. That was something Ranma almost never did. Just blindly follow people wasn't something a practitioner of Anything Goes was supposed to do! Genma did it with his wife Nodoka, and Soun had done it when his wife was still alive, but that was to the women they loved and were afraid of. If Ranma was doing that to Rei, it meant he was pretty serious about the girl. This was something that the two older men knew they would have to break up quickly before Rei did manage to convince Ranma to marry her.
The two father's turned to leave the house and trail after the young couple but paused in shock at what they saw. Rei and Ranma were standing in the middle of the yard by the koi pond, hugging each other tightly. But what was really getting the two older men going was the red walls that seemed to flash in and out of existence, forming a box around them.
They watched in stunned silence for a few minutes as Rei's hair and clothes fluttered in a breeze that didn't affect Ranma in the least. Had they been able to see her eyes they would have seen that their normal red hue had increased to the point where they were glowing brightly. As it was the Soun and Genma assumed Ranma was the one doing it, and Genma was kicking himself for not asking his son recently if he developed any new techniques.
A minute later when nothing else seemed to be happening the two father's approached, wondering what the teenagers were trying to do. As they got within a few feet Ranma leaned his head back and concentrated, his own hair and clothing fluttering in a breeze neither Genma or Soun could feel. It also allowed them to see Rei's face for the first time. The two men stopped in shock at the way the red glow from her eye's bathed Ranma eerily in red. That also got them thinking as to how it had managed to get dark in the middle of the day. They looked up at the sky and saw that it was still blue and clear, but for some reason the light was getting to where they were standing.
A fearful glance towards the small but well built blue haired girl and they made the connection. Another glance at Ranma and they were startled beyond belief to see his own eyes glowing blue. A minute later the red box seemed to solidify and both Ranma and Rei smiled identical little smiles. It was almost as if they had a link between the two of them. One glance at the transparent but unwavering red box surrounding them and it was easy to see this could be true.
Akane came back into the room, as she had wondered what had happened to the sun light. Nabiki followed her younger sister down the stairs, the two of them dressed the same as they always were. Akane in her yellow gi, having been about to go relieve some stress, while Nabiki sported her short white shorts and an orange tank top that looked rather flattering on her. The two outfits did show who was the better built of the two sisters, a contest Nabiki won hands down.
The girls stopped and looked on in shock at the darkened backyard and the two people at the center of it. Genma and Soun had gotten over there shock and were trying to get the teenagers attention, but nothing they had done so far could get through that flimsy looking red shield. Kasumi stood behind her two sisters and looked out worriedly. This couldn't be good.
There was an incredibly loud boom, dust was kicked up all over the place and a forceful gust of wind blasted all those present in the face. After everyone lowered their arms from protecting their faces they looked into the yard and saw nothing. No sign of Ranma or Rei was present, nor the box they had been in. The three Tendo sisters were looking a little worried at this, while Genma and Soun were downright scared. Even Happosai hadn't been that powerful, and they knew for a fact that hadn't been all Ranma's doing.
Nabiki turned toward's her younger sister. "I told you that was your last chance. Now you'll probably never see him again sis."
Akane stared wide eyed, her gaze zipping back and forth between Nabiki and the spot Ranma had just been in. Kasumi stood behind them with her hand over her mouth in amazement.
"My Nabiki, you seem to be taking this pretty well," Kasumi observed.
Nabiki looked back at her older sister. "If you knew anything about NERV you wouldn't be surprised either Kasumi. That company is so far ahead of the rest of the technology industry people are openly saying that they're getting alien technology and saying they invented it. Many people actually believe them, too." She waved her hand at the spot where her new and unwanted fiance had just stood. "That's just a sample of some of the things they have invented."
"Oh, my. That is pretty impressive."
Nabiki and Akane nodded in agreement, though it was obvious the youngest sister was still having trouble dealing with what she had seen. Kasumi simply took everything calmly.
Kasumi looked up at the sky to see why it was slowly getting light when she happened to spot something up in the air. "Look at that." Her finger pointed up over her sister's heads.
Akane and Nabiki looked up and gaped again. The red box was still there, but a hundred or so feet above them. All three of them were wondering what to make of this when the floating impossibility shot off into the distance, turning into a speck and disappearing in just a few seconds.
"Well, that sure is some impressive technology," Akane admitted. "Some of that might even give Happosai a run for his money."
Nabiki nodded in agreement before turning back and climbing the stairs to her room once again. Akane was feeling rather curious what her cunning older sister was planning on doing with the engagement that had been pushed onto her. It had absolutely nothing to do with her own almost unwilling interest in Ranma whatsoever.
"Hey Nabiki?" Akane called once they had reached the top of the stairs.
Nabiki paused and looked over her shoulder, giving a side profile of her face. "Yes?"
"Uh, I was just wondering what you planned on doing about Ranma." Akane was twiddling her fingers together, expecting the older girl to grin and name a price for her to get her fiance back.
"Nothing for the moment. All that's out of my control for the moment, and until I think of a good way to get out of it I'm going to live with it." Nabiki turned back forward and started walking again, confident that everything had been taken care of.
"What do you mean you're just going to live with it? You're not even going to try and sell him off this time?" Akane was bewildered. Why was her sister doing this now?
Nabiki stopped again and let her shoulders drop a bit under the weight she felt herself under. "Because I don't care enough if I'm engaged to him or not. He obviously doesn't want to marry me, he wants to marry that Rei girl. I don't plan on putting any pressure on him because I don't want to marry him either, all I want is some help to get into NERV. Once that happens we can remain engaged for all time for all I care, but I'm not going to marry him." There was a lot more to it than that, but it was all Akane was getting right then.
Akane digested this and seemed about to argue when she simply sighed. "Fine, Nabiki. I'll just stand aside and see how long you last this time without Ranma here to protect you."
Nabiki stiffened a bit at that reminder, but she kept herself under control and Akane missed it. "I don't plan on staying here much longer Akane, so I really don't have that much to worry about, do I?"
Akane was shocked speechless by that. Nabiki was going to leave before she even graduated high school? How? Why? What had gotten into the girl? Before she could formulate any of those questions into words Nabiki had already disappeared into her room, the silence around Akane making the click of the lock turning very loud.
Well fine, if that's the way things were then she could just leave. It would make things easier on Akane since there would be no more pictures of her swarming around the school and Kuno in particular, and no one setting up bets between various students, which should make Furinkan a little bit saner to attend. Especially if Ranma wasn't going to be there either.
Akane stiffened in shock this time, as she realized that with Ranma totally and completely gone, there would be no chance of them getting back together like she secretly wanted to happen. Despite what a jerk he was she found she couldn't help but like him, despite how much she didn't want to after finding out he was a boy that first day. Now Nabiki was going to move in with Ranma and she didn't even like him! Akane stood in the hallway and stewed as she couldn't think of a way to get the situation to resolve that wouldn't involve her doing something she would regret later, like admitting she like the pigtailed martial artist.
With a huff Akane turned and stomped into her room. Mentally having failed to solve the problem she would try and work it out with her fists.
Ranma looked out over the other tall structures piercing the sky from atop a 20 story building. He would have never believed that flight was so easy to accomplish when he had somebody like Rei to help him along. Or was that the other way around? Was he helping Rei along, giving her guidance instead of raw power? His blue eyes took in the shadowy forms and twinkling city lights arrayed before him, silently comparing them to the stars he had gazed upon while growing up.
Rei stood silently beside him, perfectly content to allow him all the time in the world he needed to form the words in the right way, instead of his usual way. Her fingers were laced with Ranma's, letting her know he hadn't forgotten about her, that he was still working on her question. Rei tightened her grip and felt happiness spread through her when Ranma squeezed back. Knowing that there was no one else out to see them the blue haired girl stepped closer and leaned against her fiance's solid form, greatly enjoying the touch.
Ranma glanced down at her, his eyes now drinking up her form. She was much more developed than when he had known her at 14. What had been the start of a great body had blossomed into maturity, her frame growing taller and more curvaceous. As she stood now the stunningly beautiful young woman would easily be a match for any of Ranma's fiances.
Ranma reached out and pulled the silent girl in front of him, letting his hands drop down to her hips as he pulled her closer to him. Rei simply tilted her head backwards the closer she got, until their noses were only an inch or two apart. Rei was enjoying being pressed up against her boyfriend, was really enjoying the warmth she got from his hands and wished she knew what a normal girl would do in a situation like this to make the pleasurable warmth spread.
Ranma's serious expression turned into a smile. "I'm glad you're not a normal girl Rei."
Rei returned the expression, startled that he could still read her so well. She had almost forgotten how good he had been at reading her eyes, it was almost as if her thoughts were printed on her pupils. Rei didn't mind though, it meant he knew things about her she never would have told him otherwise, and she was very happy for that.
"Marriage is a step I'm not ready to take yet, Rei-chan." Rei returned her attention from memory lane to her love interest. She had asked him why he didn't want to get married to her as soon as possible if he loved her. It made perfect sense to her, she couldn't figure out why he wanted to wait. Out of all the things that had happened during their conversation with the Tendo's this is what she wanted cleared up first.
"That means I have to settle down and take care of you. That means I have to start a family." He paused a moment there as he remembered something. "Well, no, actually that doesn't work since you can't have kids." Rei nodded in confirmation, glad that he had remembered on his own.
"But still, it's a big step. Moving in with you like I'm going to do is a big step, but this is even bigger. This is saying that I've found the perfect girl, that nothing will ever be better than what I have right here and I'm going to spent the rest of eternity with her, no matter what. That scares me a little Rei. It scares me enough that I'm actually willing to admit it. I'm only 17, what happens if I change? What happens if I find out we're not actually meant for each other? We'll be married, there's nothing we could do about it."
Ranma hugged his Rei close to him, his hands gently massaging her back while she passively stood and accepted his touch. Her mind was completely concentrated on what Ranma had to say, so she tried to banish her body's distracting desire to return his affection.
"I am only 17. I know you are perfect for me Ranma, don't doubt that. I will make you happy, I will make you happy like I am when I'm with you." Ranma stiffened at the sincerity he heard in the girl's voice. He wanted to believe her, he really did, but something was still making him hold back. He wasn't even sure what it was that told him not yet, but something was there. It was almost driving him crazy. He could see the love and affection in Rei's red orbs, he knew what he felt for the girl, yet something in him balked at this final expression of devotion to his girl.
Ranma cast about, trying to think of something to get her to back off a bit and give him time to think. His hands unconsciously held his Rei-chan closer, the feel of her skin even through the clothes a comforting feeling for the both of them. Having said her piece Rei reached up and wrapped her arms around her beloved, molding herself to him as best she could.
"Has your work at NERV slowed down recently?" Ranma inquired, stalling for time.
Rei nodded against his chest. "Yes, I have completed it. That is why they let me pursue you." She let a frown appear on her angelic features. "Though I wonder why any type of combat training has been excluded."
Ranma pulled back a bit too look the girl in the eye. "You haven't had any combat training, and you're supposed to be a tool in a coming war?"
Rei stared at him in wonder as his words sunk in. "I do believe there might have been an oversight," She stated.
Ranma snorted. "With a little training you probably wouldn't have had to go through so many clones, either." Ranma didn't want to say death. It brought up unpleasant memories.
"Hmm. An interesting idea. I think I will have to run it by the Commander." She was silent for a beat before continuing. "Do not change the subject again. You have not told me to my satisfaction why we should not be wed."
Ranma sighed a bit, knowing that she had caught him, and knowing that even if she hadn't he had just admitted that he was trying to distract her by sighing like that. "Look, I know it would be great, but I'm worried about the long term. Sleeping with you all the time instead of by myself would be great, but I have to wonder if things will always be the same. What happens in a few years after the war and everything? You'll probably change because of that. Heck, you admit that you're a tool for NERV to use. I might change because of this war. What'll happen to us after that, will we just be trapped in something that nether one of us want anymore?"
Ranma could tell that he was hurting Rei's feelings, but the words just bubbled out of him. He knew they were what was really bothering him, that something would happen like between his father and mother. He wasn't sure what was going on there, but he knew it wasn't good for Genma to be so afraid of his wife. He didn't want to be like that, he didn't want to have those kinds of things happen to him when he was older.
Rei finally remembered a good way to get the pleasurable heat to spread. She reached up and grabbed Ranma's head before hauling him down for a sizzling kiss. His pigtail stood straight up as his lips were covered. A moment later and he returned the blue haired girl's passion. When the couple finally broke for air Rei had a smug smile.
"Ranma, love is not greedy. You are being greedy. You want all of the good with none of the bad. You are saying that without even giving it a chance you are going to run away from something that could be very good simply because you have seen a few problems. Stop listening to your head and listen to your heart. Something that I've managed to do since we last met."
Ranma stared at Rei wide eyed. He hadn't expected anything like that from his fiance. But he could feel how right she was. He knew she had gotten to him, and unless he acted fast he was going to be married even before he had a chance to tell his other fiance's about it. Another emotion overrode all others however. Ranma leaned down and kissed the girl again hungrily. She returned it eagerly.
Ranma slowly broke the lip lock, gently coming out of his trance. Rei was reacting the same way, her unfocused eyes slowly returning to her beloved's face. "Rei, I will marry you, but do you think it could wait until next year? Or actually, how about that war? Do you know how long that is going to last? I think I'd rather wait until after that's over."
Rei regarded him, knowing why he was asking this. He still wasn't completely over his objections, but he had set a date, something that he hadn't done before. Then it was just they would get married sometime, now it would be in a year. If she worked on him some, maybe she could even move that date up some. "I have heard that the war shouldn't take more than a year."
Ranma beamed at her. "There you go. That should work out perfectly then."
Rei nodded, but Ranma knew she still wanted to get married right away. He almost agreed to it, but knew that waiting would be better for them. He wasn't sure how he knew this, but he was confident in his instincts and that's what they were telling him. Ranma leaned down to kiss her again when something beeped.
Rei reluctantly pulled away from her boyfriend and whipped a tiny little phone out of a back pocket. "Yes?" She tonelessly said into the mouthpiece.
A moments listening. "Yes."
Another moment. "Yes. Yes Commander." And she hung up, tucking the phone back where she had gotten it from.
Ranma was rather impressed with how small that thing had been. He still would have felt it had he gotten brave enough to reach down there, but it was awfully small. Rei turned back to Ranma and looked at him with regret filled eyes.
"I must go back to work now, they need me for something. I will tell the Commander of your suggestion next time I speak with him." Rei paused and reached back into her pocket pulling forth her phone again. "This is another phone, it has my number in it should you need to speak with me. I will call you sometime later when I am finished, so hang onto it at all times."
Ranma accepted the device and examined it for a minute, making sure that everything was self explanatory. That confirmed he nodded at her. "I'll speak with Ukyo and Shampoo today, or maybe tomorrow depending on how long it takes. I do hope we get my stuff here pretty soon as I don't want to sleep on the roof very often. Rain is coming."
Rei giggled at him, causing the two of them to pause and listen to the sound that hadn't been heard since the last time they had been together. Ranma sported a contented little smile at hearing her giggle again. Rei blushed.
"Well, I should be going back to pack up and see what I can do about Nabiki along with the rest of the girls," He told his Rei-chan.
Rei nodded. "I must deal with work and then I will call you and we can talk. Or move you in." They hugged and kissed one last time before Ranma jumped across the buildings towards home. Rei watched him until he was out of sight before sighing and letting her mask fall back into place. She really didn't want to have to deal with work right now, not when she had just found Ranma again. But that had been drilled into her since before she could remember, work always comes first. Give it a little time with Ranma and she knew her priorities would change, she could already feel the shift inside of her. Even after only being with him for a few hours she almost had refused to come into work until she was good and ready.
All they were going to do were more sync tests, but for the life of her Rei couldn't figure out why they would be doing that when she already achieved 85% sync and was the lowest of the two teenagers in the program. What really got her going was how in the world they expected to fight a threat that the Commander seemed to know about when they had never received any formal combat training. The only thing they knew how to do was use a gun and acrobatics.
Rei looked around the roof and realized she would have to get down to the ground the old fashioned way, since Ranma's wasn't with her to help her with her powers. He was so unbelievably good at using his own internal energy that he had managed to help Rei control her own. That was how they had flown to the rooftop of her apartment building, but with him gone she would have to walk all the way down to the bottom. Maybe it was time for her to see about getting a new place. When she had first moved in it had seemed like a good enough home. Now it just felt like another room in the building. Rei had to find a home, not a place to stay.
Determined to do that along with a talk to the Commander about training and more time off Rei headed towards a NERV entrance with a happy step.
Nabiki headed down the stairs with a defeated step. She knew she should be happy, she knew she had better be cheerful whenever Ranma returned so he would be more willing to help her. But she couldn't get herself to do it. Akane was throwing away any chance she had with Ranma, and there was nothing that could be done about it. The Tendo home seemed like it might actually be in jeopardy, and nobody seemed to care except herself. She had thought at least her Father would do something, but he had just laughed and patted her head when she mentioned the financial problem to him.
It was as if he expected everything to just work out like it always did because Nabiki and Kasumi had been taking up the slack in the household when nobody else would. Unless they got something together to make them money Nabiki knew they would quickly empty out the bank account, and this time she wasn't going to be filling back up again. She had her own place to pay for now, not to mention a job to get and school to still get through.
Well, she'd have her own place to pay for once she found out where Ranma was going to move to. She had to keep in contact with the boy and his girlfriend if she was going to ask for their help in her business endeavors.
Ranma walked into the Tendo home, feeling similar to his girlfriend. This wasn't his home, this was simply a place he stayed at. Wherever Rei was, that was home. He didn't announce himself upon crossing the threshold for once, not really wanting to be the center of attention while his mind was still focused on his beloved Rei-chan.
Hopefully he could convince the others whose live's were riding on him that they could survive without him. Shampoo he wasn't really sure what to do about. What with her village laws and Cologne breathing down her neck not to be a failure it seemed like it would almost be impossible for him to convince the Amazons that he needed to be left alone from then on. He had found his soul mate and he wasn't going to mess around with them anymore. The same went for Ukyo, though the poor girl was going to have troubles since just about everybody in school mistook her for a boy whenever they saw her for the first time. And she wonders why Ranma never saw her as more than just a friend.
Not wanting to think about them at the moment Ranma headed to the kitchen, hoping to find something to stuff his mouth with so he wouldn't talk to himself while sorting out his problems. He was rather surprised when he discovered Nabiki in there. She was siring up something, though Ranma couldn't recognize it yet. He had a sinking feeling about what this was about, though he desperately hoped that he was wrong about the girl.
"Nabiki," Ranma quietly said.
Nabiki jumped and spun around, barely keeping the bowl in her hands from spilling onto the floor. Upon seeing who it was her annoyed expression smoothed out to it's usual calm. "Yeah, Saotome?"
"What are you making?" He inquired, trying to start things off casually.
"Cookie dough."
"That's it?"
"Yup."
"Aren't you going to make cookies?"
"Nope, just cookie dough."
"You eat plain cookie dough?"
"Yup."
"Oh."
Ranma pondered that for a second before decided that he wouldn't knock it before he tried it. He liked most things, wouldn't be any reason he wouldn't like the way Nabiki ate her cookies. "Can I have some when you're done?"
"Sure. I was making it for both of us anyway," Nabiki casually told him.
Ranma fell over painfully. Nabiki's eyes widened in shock. "It's not that much of a surprise. Is it?"
Ranma nodded from his position at her feet, idly noting that she had surprisingly well muscled legs. His gaze kept sweeping up and evaluating her form, not even noticing that he was now looking up her skirt until he took note of the color of her panties. At that he jumped to his feet, cheeks burning and hoping desperately that she wouldn't inquire as to why they were doing so. How that girl got such a well built form and performed no martial arts was beyond him.
Nabiki stared at him for a moment before smirking and turned around to face the counter again. Ranma stared at her in shocked disbelief that she would either not notice what he could see from his position or question him about his flaming face.
"I'm not Akane, Ranma. I don't mind if my fiance catches a glimpse of something he has every right to look at," Nabiki calmly stated, her back still turned.
Ranma got himself under control as he thought about her statement. He knew she was trying to get on his good side, he knew she was simply doing this so he would help her with what she wanted as regards NERV. He knew it, but he still couldn't help but feel a little happy that a girl liked him. He cherished his friends, even those not so friendly. Only ever having three of them in his life made him very protective of the ones he had now.
Thinking about friends brought him back to Rei. He sighed and pulled the phone out of his back pocket, happily noting that the thing was still at full charge. Nabiki glanced over her shoulder wondering why she hadn't gotten a response for her statement and gasped upon seeing the ridiculously expensive piece of electronic wonderfulness in his hand. He looked at the screen for a moment before flipping it closed again. Nabiki boggled.
The latest she had heard was they couldn't get that model to flip! And here Ranma sported a working and flipping model that was said couldn't be made yet. "Ah, Ranma?"
"Yeah?" He responded absently as he tucked the phone back into his pocket.
"Where did you get that phone?"
"This thing?" He clarified, pulling it forth once more.
Nabiki nodded. She would have snatched the thing from his hands if her own weren't covered in cooking material. Besides, she had to keep stirring this batter or it wouldn't turn out right. As much as she wanted to look at that phone she knew it would still be there in a few minutes when she could stop. The cookie dough wouldn't wait though, so it got top priority for the moment.
"Rei gave it to me. She said she'd call me on it later so we could arrange a time for me to move my stuff," Ranma informed his fiance.
"She just gave you that?" Nabiki sounded rather disbelieving.
"Yeah. She had another one for herself so it's not like she doesn't have one now."
"Do you know that you can't even get photos of that phone in the electronic magazines? It's said they can't make it yet due to technology not being stable enough for mass production." Nabiki finished up her concoction while talking and set it aside for the moment, moving to the sink to wash her hands.
"Nope. I just know I'm not letting this thing go until she calls me. I figured it was something special NERV had given her since it's so much smaller than anything else I've seen."
"Would you mind letting your fiance take a look at it?" Nabiki asked as sweetly as she could, hoping that her earlier bribe of cookie dough would soften him up.
Ranma stared at her long and hard enough to start making her squirm. "Alright," He finally said, handing her the phone.
Nabiki almost didn't react in time to take it she was so surprised. "Th-thank you Ranma."
Ranma smiled a little sadly at her. "I hope you keep it safe Nabiki. I would hate to think that somebody I trust would lie so easily to my face."
Nabiki was about to give a retort along the lines of never having promised him anything when a shout came from outside.
"Ranma, I'll make you suffer for this!"
"I wonder what it is now. Did he find out the engagement got switched or something?" Ranma commented to himself.
Nabiki shook her head, not really paying attention to what he was saying as she marveled at how crystal clear the screen was. And how light! It was as if she wasn't even holding it, yet she could feel it between her fingers and see it with her eyes.
"If it rings bring it to me, okay?" Ranma asked of Nabiki.
She glanced up at him briefly. "Alright, though why somebody would be calling you is beyond me."
"I just told you. Rei-chan will call me later, once she takes care of some stuff at work."
"Oh, right right. Don't worry, if it rings I'll handle it."
Not feeling exactly reassured by her words Ranma nevertheless went outside to see what Ryoga's problem was.
Nabiki completely forgot about her sweets as she stared at the marvel in her hands. She never would have thought Ranma would get something like this before just about anybody else in the world. It was so cool! The sounds of voices drifted to her over the air, recognizable as Ranma and Ryoga, the two normal protagonists in the Nerima fights. Having heard them through the wall earlier Nabiki wondered if Ryoga was just acting that mad, or if the poor boy suffered from some pretty severe mood swings. Thinking about his main attack, a depression based ki ball made her lean towards the latter idea.
The voices progressed to shouting, moving along the lines of Ranma still hoarding all those women for himself when he intended to wed the Ayanami girl. Ranma of course defended himself, saying that he had been trying to get unengaged for some time and it wasn't a process that could be done quickly. Nabiki had to agree with that, but still found it disturbing that he had actually managed to get rid of one only to pick up another, Nabiki herself.
If she weren't personally involved it would have been rather funny. Heck, it was still rather amusing, just in a serious kinda way. The shouting escalated into blows, visible from where Nabiki stood in the kitchen as the pair jumped around the outside of the house. She shook her head at the display, glad that she had inherited the brains of the family. It amazed her to no end that no matter what Ranma attempted to do or say he would always end up in a fight with whoever had shown up that week. If she was to be associated with the man that would have to change. She was not going to be a prize in some martial arts competition, for she held no false ideas about his feelings for her.
No great effort would be put out for her benefit, since she had pretty much shown no interest in Ranma himself once it was established that Akane was the main fiance. Nabiki regretted that decision, as she could easily find herself having a really good friend in that boy if she had opened herself up a bit more in the beginning. But it was too late for that now, she would simply have to wait and see what became of it all after they moved out. Now that she knew two people who had connections with NERV there was no way that she would let them out of her sight, whether she was engaged to the man or not.
Nabiki heard the fight turn more serious and Ranma led the lost boy away from the easily damaged Tendo home and dojo. Nabiki sighed and shook her head, unable to believe that Ranma could be so self aware of those around him that he would try and limit the damage done to the house and dojo without ever having been told that it needed to be done. Nabiki's funds were limited, but now that wasn't really a concern for her since she would no longer be paying the Tendo families bills. She would only be paying Nabiki Tendo's bills.
A minute after the sound of the scuffle had faded from her ears a most pleasant little song sounded, much like a music box from her childhood. She looked around puzzled for a moment, as she couldn't think of any music boxes that were hidden around the house. A sudden realization struck her as she noticed that the display on the little flip phone had lit up with a name and number. Her eyes widened in shock upon realized what that was a number of.
Not only was this phone said to be impossible to make, it was running on wireless network technology that wasn't even supposed to be past the preliminary testing phases yet. If this thing was really running on what she thought it was then it could literally be used anywhere on the face of the Earth with perfect clarity. After half a minute Nabiki realized that Rei was trying to reach Ranma like she had said she would and Ranma wasn't around to take the call.
Thinking that she would just ignore it and let the boy call the blue haired girl back she set the phone down on the counter. A second of contemplating made her rethink that, however. Ranma had seemed rather serious when he had said that he wanted to answer that phone when Rei called, and had trusted her with making that happen. He probably hadn't anticipated her calling so soon after having parted ways and so had thought it safe to lead Ryoga away on a fight. Nabiki felt rather obligated to tell Rei about that, since the fellow fiance would have no way of knowing any of this, simply that Ranma was ignoring her. If there was one thing that Nabiki really couldn't stand it was being ignored.
"Hello," Nabiki said as cooly as she could into the mouthpiece.
"Where is Ranma?" The simple question left frost in Nabiki's ear is was delivered with such a chilled tone. Nabiki shook her head in amazement. She didn't think she would ever achieve the coldness of voice and mask of Rei Ayanami.
"He let me look at his phone for a minute and was then distracted by Ryoga, who got him in a fight. I figured I better answer it rather than just let you get the voicemail."
There was a long pause before Nabiki got a response. "Thank you. Please have Ranma call me at this number as soon as he returns. I wish to hear his voice."
Nabiki looked blank for a second before she realized what Rei was saying. It wasn't important, she just wanted to chat with her boyfriend. That sure was an odd but accurate way of putting it, thought Nabiki. "I understand. I'll make sure he gets back to you as soon as possible."
Rei's eyes widened slightly upon realizing Nabiki had understood the full meaning of her words. Maybe it wasn't such a bad thing that Ranma associated with the girl. She would ask her boyfriend about the middle Tendo daughter next time she talked with him. Maybe she could increase the size of her requested apartment and have all three of them living together. They would only need two bedrooms anyway, since Ranma would be sleeping with her.
Ranma didn't know that, but she had asked a few of the girls around work and they all seemed to agree that sleeping with one's fiance was the proper thing to do. Rei thought it was a good idea since she liked being hugged so much, sleeping in his arms would help her rest, and hopefully get rid of some of the bad dreams she had every night.
Shelving those thoughts for now she said, "Goodbye," And hung up the phone. Nabiki stared at the flashing numbers showing the length of the call and once again marveled at the impossible device in her grasp. NERV was a place she was going to enjoy if things like this were common place.
She continued to examine the phone, even took a few pictures of it with her camera before Ranma walked back through the doorway, not looking any worse for wear except a small cut on the chest of his shirt that Kasumi would have to mend. She handed the phone over to him getting a silent thanks in return. Before he could turn and leave the room Nabiki spoke up.
"Rei called while you were out."
Ranma fell over, clutching the phone to his heart. "I missed her?" He whispered in disbelief. "It sounded like she was going to be busy for a while. I even finished up with Ryoga as fast as I could."
"Don't worry, she just told me to tell you to call her as soon as you could. Her numbers in the phone. You know how to get it?" Nabiki inquired, having gone back to her cookie dough now that her toy had been taken away. It was almost ready, too.
Ranma almost broke the phone he flipped it open so fast. A few frantic moments of button pushing later and he placed it against his ear, waiting impatiently through the muted clicking while it went through the network before being routed to Rei's phone.
Nabiki was amazed at the way Ranma's face lit up when he heard Rei's voice. It was as if the girl had a switch directly connected to Ranma's happiness which got activated whenever she was around. The middle Tendo daughter was glad to see the poor boy so happy with a girl, instead of his usual nervousness and frustration. Nabiki had to admit that some of that was her fault, but that was going to change, especially if she wanted to keep on his good side. If he still had much of a good side left.
Ranma stood and walked from the kitchen, cooing happily into his phone. Nabiki sighed again and set her cookie dough aside to settle. Just a few more minutes before she could engage in one of her most private and personal pleasures. Licking cookie dough off her fingers was something that she had gotten hooked on when Kasumi had left some dough out, only having enough time to make one batch of baked cookies before having to leave and take care of something. Ever since Nabiki had been making that same cookie dough and eating it the same way whenever she really needed to get a boost of happiness or confidence.
Dealing with Rei left her with a severe need for a confidence booster. While she probably could have talked to Ranma and simply absorbed some of his overconfidence, her drug of choice was sweets. Besides, she did enough exercising to burn off whatever was consumed. Only trouble was she had to save some of this batch for Ranma. But she really didn't want to share her naughty pleasure.
Up in his room Ranma and Rei talked about many many things before getting down to business. "So you talked to your Commander already?" Ranma repeated in surprise.
"He said he would put it under consideration, but didn't really see the point as we would be in a capsule controlling other things. I'd tell you more but that's about as far into classified as I can go," Rei said with regret in her voice.
Ranma sighed. "I should have figured they would have you using something that would prevent martial arts or proper training from working. I mean, it's only the fate of the world we're talking about here. What's severely limiting our choices compared to being able to spend lots and lots of money?"
Rei giggled. Her boyfriend could be so sarcastic it was funny. "I don't know why they never bothered to ask me why my control suddenly improved after I started practicing with you. With how many questions they ask and how many tests they always run I would have thought they would see and wonder. Maybe Dr. Akagi isn't as observant as I thought."
"Or maybe she simply refused to see it. I know a lot of people that can ignore really blatantly obvious things in order to keep things the way they are," Ranma hypothesized.
Rei nodded. How Ranma knew that she had done that he had no idea, he just knew she nodded. "So when am I going to be able to move in?" Ranma asked.
"I have requested a larger apartment, since the one I currently reside in no longer feels like my home. I will be attempting to find a home for the next few days until I succeed." A moments pause. "Would you like to join me?"
Ranma jumped at the chance. "Of course I would Rei-chan! I always like to spend time with you." He snickered to himself. "Besides, with me there you won't scare the sales people so bad."
"That is true," Rei said. She was neither sorry nor embarrassed that she intimidated people by the way she acted. Only a couple people mattered to her and they were perfectly happy the way she was, so that was how she planned on staying.
"I have a question," Rei announced.
Ranma wasn't sure if he was supposed to be nervous or happy. When she announced herself any number of things could follow, from just about any subject. She could ask him about sex, she could ask him about humans, she could ask him about martial arts or why girls have breasts. All those topics had been covered with varying degrees of success, and by the time their relationship had ended when they were younger he had trained himself to give his utmost attention to her as soon as those words came from her mouth, as he would probably have to change topics quickly.
"What do you think of Nabiki moving in with us?"
Ranma sat staring off into space, not really seeing anything as his mind churned THAT one over. "What made you think of that?"
Rei knew he was stalling for time instead of just blurting his opinion, but she decided to give him a breather before demanding an answer. "I talked with her briefly earlier. She made a favorable impression, and i believe it would make it easier to get her help in annulling the engagement if we were to be a little generous."
Ranma nodded his head in agreement with her statements. "Sounds good to me, just so long as you can get an apartment big enough so we're not tripping over each other all the time."
"You are coming with me when I look, aren't you?"
Ranma smacked his forehead, causing Rei to giggle again at the sound. "You silly man," She said through her laughter.
"Sorry Rei-chan. I won't forget again. When should I meet you tomorrow?" Ranma apologized.
"I'll come over to your house. I wish to speak to Nabiki in person again. Perhaps she will know of something in the area to start our search in."
"I could ask her that tonight," Ranma said.
"You could. But I wish to speak with her again, and I don't want to hang up until we go to sleep," Rei said with what sounded like a slight blush on her cheeks.
Ranma blushed as well, since that was exactly how he felt.
Nabiki finally managed to drag herself awake. To say the middle Tendo daughter was not a morning person was to say The Blue Thunder was slightly off kilter. While conveying the basic condition, the term left far too much out to be adequately descriptive. How she managed to drag herself from bed every morning on time was a mystery even to her.
Ranma was also not a morning person per say, but it also didn't bother him just so long as he got enough sleep. If he went to bed at his usual time and actually managed to get a full nights sleep he would awaken on his own bright and early feeling refreshed. If a bucket of water was used as his alarm clock, he was about the same as Nabiki, though the deranged hair was due to water and not whatever strange physics took over when the disgruntled were awoken.
Now that Rei was back in his life, for good this time, caused Ranma to get one of the best nights sleep in his life. So when he jumped up out of bed before his father had roused himself to punt his son out the window he was rather pleased. He was even more pleased after defenestrating the panda. And the prodigious splashdown while still sound asleep would mean the schmuck would soak in the water for a bit, thus incurring Kasumi's wrath and forcing him to stay outside until such time as the fur dried.
Ranma reached under his pillow and pulled the little flip phone out, checking the battery again. He was rather shocked to see it hadn't gone down at all, despite the fact that he had been talking on it the day before non stop for hours. No wonder she had given him this phone, the thing was great! And Rei only liked the best.
Ranma stepped out of his room and walked into the hall, passing Nabiki's door when it opened and out stumbled the disheveled girl. He took a glance at her as she left her room then did a double take. He hadn't seen her like that since he had first arrived. Seeing a panda come out of the koi pond had really freaked her out, but he had bumped into her later that night when she should have been sleeping and she sported the same look then as now.
"Hurry up in the bath Nabiki," Ranma told the older girl. "Rei is an early riser so I want to be ready when she gets here. Oh, and she wanted to talk to you, too."
That got Nabiki's attention. Her only question was why in the world did Rei want to talk to her? She wondered if it was in regards to her answering Ranma's phone. Maybe that hadn't been the wisest move, but it had seemed right at the time. Oh well, she would worry about it later.
Ranma watched the girl disappear into the bath and sighed, hoping that he had heard her and would speed things up a bit from her usual. One of the reasons she got up so early was simply because she took a while getting herself ready for the day. Ranma suspected she napped in there, but he wasn't about to try and find out.
Feeling full of energy and having no way to get rid of it since he didn't want to get wet by going outside and getting attacked thanks to his soaked father he drifted into the kitchen. He recalled the cookie dough that he had shared with Nabiki, smiling happily at the wonderful taste that he could still feel on his tongue. He was going to have to learn how she made that stuff, he was hooked. Hopefully he could get Rei to try some, he was sure she would love it. Maybe he could get all three of them together and hopefully get those two girls going on a friendship.
Seeing as how Ranma figured the Tendo engagement would be the hardest to get rid of given how adamant the fathers were about it, he was kinda glad Nabiki was now engaged to him. Akane had never been much help in breaking the agreement except to announce that they were no longer engaged for a little while. That would never work though, it had to be something more permanent to officially break the agreement. Like himself being married already. Only problem with that was it would wreak all kinds of havoc on the Tendo and Saotome honor.
While Rei and Nabiki wouldn't care, Akane, Kasumi, Soun, himself and his Father would all be out for his blood if he did something like that. Beside's, he didn't want to do anything bad to Kasumi. The agreement would have to be broken willingly by both sides due to incompatibility. Maybe it could just be passed on to the next generation, see if one of their kids would be willing to carry it on. Then Ranma remembered that Rei couldn't have kids and that idea was out the window.
Ranma sighed and shook his head, shelving those thoughts for now since he hadn't gotten any further with them.
He