Secret Lies

 

By: James Lee

 

Disclaimer: Ranma ½ doesn’t belong to me. Neither does Sailor Moon or James Bond. If they did I wouldn’t be writing fanfiction. No profit is being made off of this.

 

Part 4

 

            Minako sighed as she boarded the aircraft. Artemis was at her side in a pet carrier. Her parents had been transferred again. Ironically this time it was back to England. Of course she had to go with them. It looked as if she would be finishing her school in the UK. Minako just hoped that the others could handle everything without her.

            Minako started looking for her seat. Her parents were sitting in first class, while she had been condemned to coach. Minako smiled as she found her seat and noted that it was next to a very handsome boy. Things were starting to look up.

            “Hello.”

            “Umm hi.” Replied the boy. He then noticed the cat carrier and jumped against the wall. “C-c-c-cat!”

            Minako blinked, then looked down at Artemis. “You don’t like cats?”

            The boy nodded.

            “Well don’t worry, I can take care of that.” Said the blond girl as she opened the overhead compartment.

            “Minako! Don’t you d…” (SLAM!)

            “See, cat all gone.”

            The boy just looked at her for a moment “Umm, thanks. You know, for a moment it sounded like that c-cat talked.”

            Minako smiled and laughed nervously. “So are you going all the way to England?”

            The boy frowned at that. “Yes I am, Miss…”

            “Oh Aino, Minako Aino.”

            “Ranma.”

            “You don’t seem too happy about it.”

            “Umm well, it’s just that I’m not sure if it’s the best idea. I mean I’ve got these, umm, friends and they might get in trouble if I’m not there to help.” Ranma remembered the previous day. As his mother had promised, they had talked about what had happened at the site. Boy did they talk! It had seemed more like an interrogation. Nodoka, his grandfather, and several others had asked all sorts of questions. Everything from how he was taken, his stay at the construction site, to his rescue was subject to discussion. They were especially interested in the doctor that had seen him just before the attack.

            They must have asked a hundred questions about him. Who do you think he was? What was his manner of speech? Did he have an accent? How was he dressed? All this and more was asked. Ranma could only answer about half the questions, but his mother had assured him that it was all right. They then had him describe the doctor to a sketch artist. While Ranma described the man in every detail he could remember, Nodoka, her father, and Bond slipped out to talk in private.

            It was after the artist was done, that his mother reappeared and dropped the bomb. He was to go to England with his father. Ranma at first had fought tooth and nail against it, but his mother would have none of it however. When Ranma asked about the Tendos and his friends, she oddly didn’t seem to care. His grandfather however, did assure him that they would be looked after. Eventually, they wore him down, pointing out that he was the target, and that it would be best if he stayed away from his friends for while.

            Still, Ranma worried. Sure he didn’t want to marry any of them, but they were still his friends.

            “HELLO.” Ranma jerked and turned to Minako. “You were zoning out.”

            “Oh sorry. I was thinking about something.”

            Minako nodded, “That’s all right, I kind of know how you feel. I’ve got friends who get into trouble all the time too, and with my parents going back to England, I won’t be able to help them.”

            “So you’ve been on this trip before?”

            Minako nodded her head, “Yep.”

            “So is it going to be a long flight?”

            “You better believe it mister. You can kiss the rest of this day goodbye.”

            “Meow?” Ranma looked up nervously as Minako sighed and shook her head. “Meeeooooow.”

            “Excuse me.” Said Minako as she opened the overhead compartment. Grabbing the cat carrier, she quickly went up to the front of the aircraft.

            “Minako, where are you going?” whispered Artemis. {Hopefully to another seat.}

            Minako ignored him as she stopped in front of one of the flight attendants. “Excuse me.”

            “Yes?”

            “My cat’s getting really agitated. Do you have someplace you can put him so he doesn’t disturb the other passengers?”

            “Why of course, dear.” Said the flight attendant. Before Artemis knew it, his cat carrier was between a komodo dragon named Gor Gor and a 200-pound rottweiler named Thug.

            “Sorry about that.” Said Minako as she returned to her seat. “So, why are you afraid of cats anyway?”

            At first Ranma wanted to tell her it was none of her business. However, he then changed his mind. He figured that since she had to put her pet away, he owed her an explanation. “Well when I was ten my pop tried to teach me this crazy technique called the Nekoken.”

            “Oh what did he do?”

            “He wrapped me up in fish sausage and threw me into a pit of starving cats. When I didn’t learn the Nekoken on the first try, he tried other fish products and threw me in again. Eventually I did learn the Nekoken, but now I’m terrified of cats.”

            Minako turned pale as Ranma told the story. “That’s horrible! Who would do that to their own child.”

            “Yeah. Now I’ve found out he isn’t even really my father…” Ranma stopped. He hadn’t meant to tell her that.

            “Oh that’s good.” Said Minako. She didn’t want a possible child abuser as a father in law. She then saw the pained look on Ranma’s face. “I-I guess. Umm sorry.”

            Ranma shook his head “That’s all right. It’s just everything is happening so fast. My mom introduced me to my real father. She wants me to live with him, that’s why I’m going to England. Thing is, I don’t know a thing about the guy.”

            “Well considering how badly your other father treated you, I think you should at least get to know him.”

            “Yeah I guess…”

            “I know it’s hard when you face a life changing decision. Especially when you have no say in it. But you’ll never know until you try it out.”

            Ranma just looked at her for a moment. He could tell that she knew what she was talking about to some small degree. “Still what if it’s the wrong decision?”

            “Well you know what they say: A wrong decision, even no decision, is better than the right decision.” {Wait that didn’t even sound right to me.}

            “Actually it’s any decision, even the wrong decision, is better than no decision at all.”

            “Huh?” Minako looked up and her eyes suddenly became little hearts as she noticed the very handsome middle-aged man standing next to them.

            “Are you comfortable, Ranma?”

            “Uh yeah. I guess.”

            Bond noticed how uneasy his son was and placed his hand on the seat. “Ranma, I know you still have a lot of questions. We’ll sit down and talk once were in London.”

            Ranma nodded. “So where’s Mom?”

            James frowned slightly. “Your mum will be catching a later flight. She’ll be joining us a week from now.”  

            “Oh, whys that?”

            “She said something about tying up loose ends.”

 

            “Are you done yet?” Asked Soun for the fiftieth time. Both he and Gendo (oops, wrong bastard.) Genma were huddled over Nabiki as she typed away on a laptop.

            “No Daddy I haven’t. Are you sure he’s gone to China?” asked Nabiki.

            “Of course,” Said Genma. “Where else would he go?”

             Nabiki just shook her head. Ranma had just up and vanished several days ago and after tearing apart the town no one had found any trace of him. Now the fathers wanted to go look for him in China. They had no proof whatsoever that Ranma had gone there, but accepted it. He could have easily gone to the mountains or somewhere in Japan to train, but everyone just assumed that he had gone in search of a cure.

            “I bet he’s with that bimbo Shampoo.” Growled Akane. Never mind the fact that the Amazons were looking for Ranma too.

            “Nabiki, we have to get to China!”

            The middle Tendo daughter took a deep breath and counted to ten. “We only have money for one person.”

            “That’s not enough. Both Genma and I must go with Akane. Only together can we bring Ranma back.”

            “Like I want him back.” Said Akane.

            “Why don’t you ask that nice Kuno boy?” asked Kasumi.

            “Because he’s already taken off in search of his pigtail girl.” Said Nabiki. “So we can only afford passage for one. Have you thought about…”

            “Nabiki, we must make sure none of the others get to him. Akane can’t make the trip alone.”

            “Hey I can take care of myself you…” Akane was cut off by the doorbell.

            “Oh, good afternoon Auntie Saotome.” As soon as Kasumi said it, Genma was in the pond and a panda.

            {Thank. You. Kami.} Thought Nabiki. With Nodoka here her family would get off her back. She changed her mind however when she caught site of Nodoka. Nabiki had never seen the woman look so serious. Just for a moment she could have sworn the woman looked down right hostile. Nodoka then turned to Soun.

            “Good afternoon Tendo-san. Is Genma here today?” Nodoka asked smiling.

            “Why umm, no.” Said Soun glancing back at a panda shaking its head. “Both he and Ranma went on a training trip. They left early this morning.”

            Nabiki became nervous as Nodoka lost her smile. Looking at the older woman, Nabiki could tell that Nodoka knew she was being lied to. Things were about to get ugly.

            “I see.” Said Nodoka as she reached into her kimono and pulled out an envelope. “Can you make sure that Genma receives this?”

            “Of course I can.” Replied Soun taking the rather thick letter from Nodoka. “May I ask what this is?”

            “It’s the terms of our divorce.” Nodoka happily answered. Everyone but Nabiki  stared at her as if she had grown a second head.

            “A-Auntie why?” asked both Akane and Kasumi.

            “No-Nodoka!”

            Nodoka narrowed her eyes. “I know my husband is hiding from me, probably because he’s done something to Ranma.”

            “T-That’s not true Nodoka, Genma and Ranma are on a training trip.”

            “Oh, they’re always on a training trip, even when I call in advance.” Said Nodoka narrowing her eyes. “I’m not dense Soun and I don’t like being lied to.”

            “We’re not lying to you Auntie.” Said Akane. “Genma and Ranma really are on a training trip. Isn’t that right Nabiki.”

            Nabiki gulped as Nodoka looked strait at her with steel cold eyes. “Well Nabiki, is that true?”

            The younger girl took a deep breath and turned her head down. “Genma’s been hiding from you.”

            Akane mouth dropped to the floor as Genma pulled out a sign. [You traitor!]

            “Genma said that you would kill both him and Ranma if you found…” (SLAP!!) Nabiki was cut off as Soun’s hand went across her face.

            “How dare you say such a horrible lie! Nodoka, I apologize for my daughter. She has very little honor. Rest assured Genma is not hid…”

            “That’s alright Soun.” Said Nodoka as she walked up to Nabiki and gently held her cheek. “At least now I know in who the Tendo honor lies.”

            That said Nodoka left the house. As soon as she was gone Akane turned to her sister. “Nabiki! What the hell were you thinking?”

            “What was I supposed to do; lie in her face? Not a good idea, especially when she knows she’s being lied to.”

            “You idiot, She didn’t know. She was just guessing.”

            “As if! She knew Akane. She knew before she even came here. In fact I almost bet she knew about Ranma’s curse…” Nabiki stopped for a moment as she suddenly realized something. All through the conversation, Nodoka had only mentioned Ranma once. In fact she hadn’t even asked were he was. Nabiki then noticed her family going through the papers Nodoka left. Picking some of the papers she started to read through them. “These are divorce papers alright.”

            “She can’t do that!” Said Genma, now human again. “On what grounds?”

            “According to this, abandonment. She didn’t even need you present to get the court order.”

            “Oh well,” Said Genma not too concerned. With his wife gone, so was her katana. “We’ll just have to think of someway to break the news to Ranma when we find him.”

            “Actually custody of Ranma has been given to her.”

            “WWHHAAATT??” screamed Genma. “Impossible! She can’t!”

            “She has.” Said Nabiki. “She cited several counts of child exploitation.”

            “Child exploitation?”

            “Yes, she has several signed affidavits from families that Genma sold his son too. Jeez, even Mr. Kounji has one in here. According to this, you have to repay all the families in full plus any accumulated interest before you can even try to get him back. Nodoka sure set you up for the fall.”

            “B-But she doesn’t have the brains to do that.”

            “Are you so sure Mr. Saotome?” asked Nabiki.

            “Oh My.” Nabiki turned to Kasumi. The girl’s face was pale and she was holding a small piece of paper.

            “Kasumi, what is it?” asked Akane.

            The oldest Tendo daughter looked back down at the paper and began to read it. “D-Dear Mr. Panda. Yes, I know all about Jusenkyo, the Nekoken, and the multiple engagements. I just want you to know one thing before you’re out of my life forever. I was pregnant with Ranma before we got married. That’s right, he isn’t your son, you son of a bitch! Signed Nodoka Tanaka.”

            {I knew it!} Thought Nabiki as made a note to tell her lackeys to pay up to the people who betted on Genma not being Ranma’s true father. “Daddy I think things just got a little more complicated.”

 

To be continued.