Subject: [FFML] [R1/2][lemon]EGMA: Time Enough for Lust (ch1) [repost]

From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 12 Nov 1999 22:19:34

Dear FFML, 
  As I am about to release another chapter, i would like to
reintroduce the starting of the main plot now. This is Chapter 1,
wich will be followed shortly (a day or two) by the rest. 
  Thank you for your patience,
  Sigurd

Ranma Saotome in
Everything Goes Martial Arts:
    Time Enough For Lust

A Lemon (eventually)
	Please note that I do not own any of the characters described
within the scope of this text. Any original characters depicted
later in this story I grant use to any party, as long as I am
credited for their origin.
 	Ranma 1/2 belongs to Takahashi-sama, Shogakukan Video, Viz
Communications, and Shonen Sunday Comics.
	La Blue Girl is owned by Maeda/Daiei Co.ltd and Central Park
Media.
	Do the right thing, buy the stuff. It's good for you.

	I heartily endorse this Service and/or Product.
	(a quote from 'SHOGUN' a member of 'Unit F')
		(author points to a Ranma 1/2 Volume #1 VHS box)

				**WARNING** 
	This is a lemon(ideally), and as such will contain various
scenes where body fluids are interchanged with excessive vigour,
and I don't mean spit! 
	Let's put this another way: This story is intended to contain
scenes of intense sexual description. It will also depict more
than the casual amount of violence. It may scar some sensitive
people with the use of stong language.
	If you are under the age of majority(i.e. not an adult) Please
stop reading this now. If you are offended by stories or movies
that describe or depict sexual acts or violence, stop reading. If
you hate warning notices: get over it.

*****************************************************************

  "Please! I beg of you! Tell me where my son is!" A middle aged
woman dressed in a blue, floral print kimono knelt in front of a
man. She bowed such that her head touched the floor, all pretense
of pride gone.
  "Come on, come on, dear friend. No need for this." The man in
the dark gi assured the prone woman. "I have already told you
that he and your husband have left for training. They did not
tell me where they intended to go, or for how long that they
meant to train. You are always welcome here. If you wish, you can
stay over night."
  The woman shuddered violently as giant sobs wracked her body.
"You don't seem to understand, Tendo-san! He is in great danger!
Please, if you have any idea, tell me, and I will go to find
them!"
  "I wouldn't be too worried about them, Saotome-obaasan. Ranma's
the best around. He and the old man can take on anythin'." The
red haired pig-tailed girl stated with conviction.
  "No! I cannot loose them! Forgive me Tendo-san, but I cannot
stay. I _must_ find them before it is too late."
  "What's the problem Oka..Obaasan? Do ya really think your
husband is that bad a sensei?" The red haired girl looked over
the shaking woman, concerned for the elder's health.
  "What makes you so concerned, Saotome-obaasan?" asked another
young girl whose black hair was cut in a page-boy style. 
  The shakes subsided slightly, and the woman rose from the
floor. She finally managed to control her emotions when she
responded, "Ranma has just reached his eighteenth year. Soon,
very soon, his heritage will find him. I must prepare him to meet
his destiny. My husband is unaware of either this or the Fate
that has Ranma in its grasp."
  Her voice grew cold as she spoke, with her tears the only
betrayal of her inner pain. "In truth, I should have begun his
training years ago. If it was not for the actions of my husband
and my foolish agreement to his terms, my son would have had a
fighting chance at life." She wiped away her tears with a small
hankerchief that appeared out of the sleeve of her kimono.
  "Surely there must be a way. Could you train one of us
instead?" Akane volunteered, wanting to trash the bad guys. The
show Bishojo Senshi Sailor Moon had affected Akane poorly.
  "There is no other way, unless..." Nodoka considered the four
girls intensely, debating their suitability.
  "No. There is no other way.  I must teach him the skills he
needs. I can not tell you what I would give to have him here,
safely." 
  "What is it Saotome-obaasan?"
  Nodoka hesitated, and swept her gaze around the room, uncertain
if she should continue. She looked at Soun, and realized that he
would never allow it, even for his house guests. 
  She waited too long, for Nabiki chose that moment to speak up.
"Saotome-obaasan, would you release Ranma from the promise when
you find him?"
  "The promise of seppukku is meaningless compared to what will
befall him and my family." Nodoka shook her head sadly. She then
looked sharply at Nabiki. "Do you mean to tell me that you know
where he is? Why did you not tell me when I first came?"
  Nabiki calmly sipped her tea. "I was asked not to reveal it
unless a grave matter was presented. I gave my word that I would
not tell."
  "Who made you make such a promise? To keep a son from his
mother!" Nodoka had enough deceit to last her a long time. Nabiki
was simply pushing the wrong button.
  "His father. He made it worth my while, so I agreed to his
request. He and Ranma are attempting a most dangerous training
technique. Already, it has almost cost them their lives close to
a dozen times." Nabiki's calm was a sea wall, pushing back the
tide of emotions around her.
  "What technique could be that dangerous?" Nodoka almost lost
her grip on her emotions, ready to succumb to the screaming in
her soul. Rage, Fear, Love, and Pain. All these and more
demanding her attention. All were pounding the dam that was her
will.
  Akane asked in a low voice "Sis, what do you think you're
doing?"
  Nabiki gave her sister no notice.
  "They are trying to learn a dreaded Anything Goes Martial Arts
Secret Technique," she continued. Long ago she had mastered the
technique of talking a lot without revealing anything or lying.
  "What!?" Ranko exclaimed. She could almost feel the sword at
her throat. She straightened slightly to counter the ghost
sensation.
  "What, pray tell, would that be, daughter?" Soun couldn't
believe his daughter. He had helped his good friend Saotome keep
the secret of Jusenkyo, for he knew Nodoka. However, he didn't
know what else to say.
  "It is the most secret of all the Anything Goes Techniques" She
sipped her tea.
  "What are you up to, Nabiki!?" The girl in red shouted.
  "The mysterious art of Hiding in Plain Sight!!" 
  **SPLISH**
  Ranma looked down at his masculine chest, and fainted.
  Akane fell backwards.
  Panda-san fainted
  Soun had put his jaw up for collateral, and the floor decided
to collect.
  Nodoka looked at the girl turned boy, and fainted.
  "Oh my!"

  Nodoka, after feeling a cold, wet trickle of water fall into
her ear, sat bolt upright. The compress that was on her forhead
fell, and was fortunate to be caught by her cupped left hand. She
regarded it for a second before casting about the room with her
gaze.
  Nabiki sat at the opposing side of the table, ignoring the
glare of her father while drinking her tea. Kasumi and Akane were
not present, which left her husband sitting beside her. He was
dressed in a well worn white gi and a bandanna covering his bald
pate. 
  She simply stared at the man, who quickly started to draw
himself inward. 
  "Genma?" she wispered, not daring to hope.
  "Yes, my wife?" he answered in a small voice, as if he didn't
want to be heard.
  "GENMA!" she cried, and threw herself at him. She wrapped her
arms around him convulsively, tightening her grip to confirm the
illusion. When the man in her arms did not turn into a pillow,
like it had so many times before, her closed eyes shed tears of
joy.
  "Genma! You have finally returned!" she felt her insides
explode with feeling. Her body rocked with sobbing spasms as she
felt the release of years of waiting. Nothing else registered on
her mind, nor that of her errant husband.
  Akane walked out from the kitchen to see the two Saotomes
clutching each other. Blushing slightly, she walked over to her
father. "Father," she said, "could you please help me in the
dojo?"
  "Hm?" he responded with tears streaming down his face, happy at
the reunion of his best friend and wife.
  "Could you _help_ me in the _Dojo_?" she said through clenched
teeth.
  "Hm?"
  Akane grabbed his arm and dragged him out of the room. She
ground her teeth as she said, "I think that they want to be
alone. Coming, Nabiki?"
  "No that's o.k., I'll be going upstairs instead." Akane simply
stared at Nabiki for a second, then continued dragging her father
toward the Dojo.
  Nabiki waited, watching the pair of adults. She was asked to
not reveal the truth, unless it was an emergency. Genma had paid
her very well, so she was going to fulfill her end of the
bargain. Of course, her enjoying it would hurt no one. Much.
  The emotions of the two had finally subsided, yet they had not
released their holds. Nabiki decided that this was the best time
to finish the introductions. She stood up and walked over to the
pair. Holding a glass of water, she dumped it on Genma.
  It actually took Nodoka less than a second to realize that she
was not holding her husband. She was gripping a tattered gi
stretched on a rather hairy body. Leaning back, she saw the thick
black and white fur of a panda.
  Compulsively she released the beast and slid across the floor,
shocked that she thought this to be her husband. The Panda rolled
back playing with it's tire, wanting to keep it's life.
  "Saotome-obaasan, I think that it's time that you learned the
whole truth." She upended a steaming kettle on the panda, and
Genma bounced up trying to shake the water off him.
  "Hot! Hot! TOO HOT!!" he cried as the hot water threatened to
burn his skin. He jumped over to the table and poured the pitcher
of cold lemonade down his back to soothe the tender nerves. The
panda shook a little, the cold a stark contrast to the earlier
heat.
  Nodoka simply stared in shock, not wanting to accept the change
even though it had happened four times that day, once in her
arms.
  "Saotome-san took Ranma-kun, as the last leg of their journey,
to a training ground known as Jusenkyo. As a result, Genma turns
into panda when struck with cold water. Ranma has always
complained more of his curse, but has it better since he stays
human. Ranma turns into a girl, whom you know as Tendo Ranko.
  "I wish to extend to you the appologies of the Tendo family, as
the eldest present, for keeping this secret for so long."
  "What... What are you saying?" Nodoka stammered out.
  "Your husband and Ranma both suffer from a _curse_. This
_curse_ they picked up in China, on their last leg of the
training mission. It was due to Genma's stupidity and
pigheadedness that caused this. Neither could read the warnings,
and wouldn't listen to the guide."
  Nodoka looked at the large panda holding onto a sign. It read,
<<It wasn't my fault! The boy knocked me in!>>
  However, as soon as he saw his wife looking at him, he twiched
the sign around which said, <<Don't mind me, I'm just a panda!>>
  Nodoka looked closer at him, hardly breathing, trying to find
the part of her husband that she knew. Genma twitched the sign
again, <<No! Really! I'm just a panda!>>
  "How... Why..." Nodoka gaped at her husband as her astonishment
turned to dread. "Ranko... Panda-san... Dearest..." (*my son!*)
  "You... hid from me? You took Ranma from me for ten years, and
still you hid him from me? Two years of hiding! Did Ranma..."
Nodoka's throught closed off her question, forcing her to
swallow. Nodoka slowly stood up, shaking from a new emotion.
  "He knew of the promise. He was told by Saotome-san to call
himself Tendo. Ranma did not want to, but the issue was forced.
Everytime Ranma would seek you, Saotome-san would mention the
promise of seppuku.
  "While Ranma does want to live and improve in the Art, he did
not want to lie." Nabiki calmly explained.
  "Genma! You have some explaining to do!" Nodoka took the
wrapped honor blade in her left hand and started to unfasten the
ties that held the embroidered cover.
  "Saotome-obaasan, if you intend to do harm to him, I ask that
it be in a place appropriate for the task." Nabiki was against
the far wall. Far enough, she reasoned, to be safe from thrown
things and flashing blades.
  Nodoka, having momentarily forgotten Nabiki, took a minute to
quiet herself, calming her nerves so she could speak clearly.
"I... appreciate what you have done, Nabiki-san. You don't have
to worry about that, I did abolish the bargain." The matriarch of
the Saotome family leveled a firey gaze at the man turned panda,
"I am going upstairs to see my son."
  Kasumi smiled from the doorway to the kitchen, happy that her
sister kept the messy situation as clean as possible.

  "Nggggg" For once, Ranma hadn't awoken with a spliting
headache. He shook himself a little to shake off his lethargy. 
  "How are you doing, Ranma?" a female voice off to his right
asked.
  "Fine," he muttered. "What was the number of the truck?" he
asked as he looked around his empty room. 
  "Reality," she said, a slight grin to her face. She was
grateful for the several minutes she had to calm herself. It
wouldn't due to appear like a raving lunitic now.
  "Hmmm?" He looked over to his left.
  "YAHHH!" He jumped back
  "Dear, there is something that you need to know." His mother
attempted to soothe him, and failed miserably.
  "YAAHHHHH!"
  "Please sit down, son." She firmed the request, to make it
clear.
  "YAAAAHHHHHHHH!"
  She clenched her hands together, hoping that he would calm down
before the turn of the century.
  "YAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"
  **SLAP**
  Ranma fell back on his backside, holding his cheek. The
harbinger of death, his mother, stood above him with her hand
poised after her strike.
  "w..w..what?" The red mark from her hand covered half of his
face. 
  "Son, this is not the time for that. You need to listen to me
carefully if you are going to survive." She sat back down,
resuming her peaceful aura.
  "What? I mean... promise... thing... curse... bad... manly...
Seppukku... girl... thing..."
  "Ranma, do I have to slap you again?" She threatened softly
  "What about the promise, mom? Pop was saying that you'ld make
us..." he gestured across his stomach, "... because of the damned
curse."
  "Son, your Father had every right to fear me. You don't. While
I may not like you and your father lying to me, I will not take
it out on you." (*Genma, however...*) she thought to herself,
smiling at her plans for her errant husband.
  Ranma, the man with the Golden Tongue tried to apologize to his
mother, "Mom, I didn't want to lie to you, it's just..." Maybe it
was Fool's Gold.
  "Ranma, I know. I know why you hid. Your father was probably
right, I would have tried to make him fulfill the promise. If it
were not for more dire problems..." 
  "Mom..." Ranma interupted quickly, losing his mental track as
soon as he had said it.
  Nodoka sighed heavily and shook her head. "Son, how much do you
know of your lineage?"
  "What? Not much. Well, I mean... Dad went over his side a long
time ago, so I kinda know it. He didn't mention you or your line
all that much. He really only told me about you when I really
pushed him about it. He really didn't rememeber all that much.
Either that or he didn't want to tell me." Ranma tried to push
aside the strangeness that was his life for a moment. He was
moderately successful.
  "Your Father's clan, although small, goes way back. They are
not as powerful now due to the unfortunate circumstances of the
modern Era."
  "How do you mean?"
  "This is not something that you will repeat, as it shames your
father. His clan was all but wiped out during the last World
War."
  "Wow, no wonder Pops always talked about ancient history.
Nothin' newer was nice to say." Ranma, although sad, was curious.
He now knew that there was a good reason that he had not heard of
this.
  "Indeed. However, that is only the start of the story.
Dearest's parents had their own way to regain what the clan had
lost in that disaster. Their path is one that I would neither
choose, nor approve. However, Genma decided to break from this
and follow the path of martial arts, a path I find noble and
worthy.
  "I met your father while he and Tendo-san were training with
Happosai. Since his clan was still small and possesed little
wealth, Dearest found it difficult to find instructors. Mostly
this was due to his inability to pay for his tutelage. That is
how he met Happosai." It pained Nodoka to expose her husband's
secrets and hurts, but this was her son. He deserved to know.
  "You mean to tell me the old fart wasn't the first teach that
Pops learned from?" His father really didn't talk too much about
how he learned the techniques that he was taught. Ranma had only
recently learned of Happosai, and the pervert's influence over
his father.
  "Yes. I am not really certain when it was that Genma and
Tendo-san met first, but the hardships that Happosai sought for
his students forged the two into brothers. Never have I seen a
stronger bond between two men than that of Genma and Soun."
  "Mom, no offense or nothin', but what's my bein' in danger got
to do with this?"
  "Ranma," she shook her head sadly, "your father is a proud man,
despite what he shows around Happosai. He is proud of your skill
and the power that you have. Your abilities reflect on him, as
your Father and Teacher. Similarly, his past caused him to pursue
my hand, after we met. If it were not for that, you would not be
here and in danger."
  Nodoka paused for a moment, recalling the three men traipsing
through her bath. The two larger men had followed the old man to
the hamper.  Poor Genma simply stood there in shock, not
believeing what he had seen. She had stopped her activity,
dumbstruck at the sight of three men running through her bath.
  Unknown to her, the three men were used to seeing ladies in
various states of undress due to long hours of panty raiding.
Soun and Happosai had not actually seen her, however. One was
intent on finding the precious panties, the other on denying to
himself his involvement.
  However, Genma had looked up from the master pervert to see
Nodoka. Well, love at first sight has happened in stranger
circumstances than that.
  Ranma didn't need to know most, if any, of that.  Nodoka
decided to completely skip it as she didn't know how Ranma would
respond.
  "Well, to make a long, messy story short, Genma and I fell in
love and married. A little over a year later you were born. Not
long before the two men sealed Happosai in a cave.
  "Your story also involves my parents," Nodoka shook her head
sadly. She wished that history could have been different.
  "How so? They pissed off an old chinese man too?" 
  Nodoka smiled, remembering the 'Interesting Times' curse, "They
fell in Love." She simply stated.
  "So, what went wrong with that? Don't tell me that she wasn't
his fiancee." In Ranma's mind, there wasn't anything wrong with
falling in love. Unless you had three fiancees and a host of
hangers-on.
  "Ranma," His mother shook her head sadly. "their love had not
the complications that yours does. Nor was it the simple lust of
youth. They were sure of their emotions, and there were no other
suitors. No, the problem lays solely with my Father. The clan of
my mother had declared the existance of his entire creed anathema
to their own. Since long ago, that clan of warriors had sought
the elimination of his line." Ranma's mother looked like she was
about to continue, but something in her hardened to steel. 
  "That is all that I can say now. I will take you with me to my
estate for training. Genma and your many fiancees will _not_ know
where, nor will they attend. This is not something that they can
learn. None of your friends can help you in this."
  She gestured to the closet that held his clothes. "Get packed,
we are leaving in an hour." She stood up and walked out of the
room.
  Ranma just sat there, looking at the closed door.

  (*What the hell did I just get myself into. That was not like
anything that mom has ever been. Just what the hell is going on
here?*) Ranma stood up and walked over to his closet and rummaged
through it as he did a little thinking.
  (*Mom's talkin' bout Family and fate and stuff. If Mom comes
from a line of martial artists, how could Pops think that she
would mother me too much? She'd know what's needed to train a kid
to be the best. I just don't get it.*) He walked over to his
dresser and pulled out a number of shirts, pants and
underclothes. 
  (*Wait, she said warriors. Fighters may not be martial artists.
They wanted to _kill_. Was it a clan of Martial Artists? She
thinks that they are after me. Maybe...*) He continued his
thoughts as he packed for week's stay, (*If I need anything more,
I can send for it. Or else buy it.*)
  He looked around the sparse room a little, positive that he had
left something behind. He grabbed a picture off the dresser, it
was the one of the beach with him and Akane with the whole crew
of nuts that had become a part of his life.
  Then, glancing around to see any hidden spys, he went back to
closet. Looking again to check for watchers, he jumped up and
reached into the back of the closet. Landing, he opened a little
box to check it's contents, a sparkle of light and a gleam of
metal. Smiling, he closed the box and stuffed it into his pack.

  "I tell you that I care not what you think, Genma. I am taking
him with me and you are staying here. I have spoken with
Tendo-san and he has agreed with this." She stated in a firm and
unyielding voice.
  "But, dear, you can't take him now, he has not learned all that
he can!" The glutton known as Genma pleaded.
  "You can consider this payment. You did not say that you would
be gone for 12 years, nor hide for the last two. I will take
Ranma and train him as I see fit!" Nodoka felt the rage building
inside her, but she quieted it with icy control.
  "NO! You'll destroy his edge! He must keep training with me!"
He demanded, desperation filtering through his voice.
  "Do you honestly think that I don't know what I am doing? Do
you think that I would let my son be sacrificed because he wasn't
trained well? Think again, Genma. He will be trained, and ready
for his destiny." She countered.
  "It may not be him! How can you believe that it would be him?" 
  "Genma, this discussion is over. The decision is made. If Ranma
is not trained properly, he and all that you see will perish."
  "So how are you going to train him, Huh? Are you going to f-"
  **SLAP**
  Nodoka's voice made Antartica feel like the Brazilian rain
forest. "Genma, you will not bring that up again."
  Genma just stood there with his hand on his face, shellshocked.
Nodoka was emitting a low grade battle aura, and her face was set
in stone. 
  Ranma, who had just descended the staircase, had heard the end
of the argument. That is to say he was present for it, as the
entire neighborhood was able to listen to the end of the heated
debate.
  "I'm ready Mother."
  "We will be gone for a number of weeks, perhaps the entire
vacation until the begining of college. If you would like to say
goodbye, Kasumi is in the kitchen. I believe that Nabiki is in
her room, and Akane is in the Dojo with Tendo-san."
  "Thanks. I'll meetcha at the door."

  Ranma walked up to Kasumi, eyeing her like she's an alien
species, wondering if she would turn on him and strike or wave a
friendly greeting. Everyone else that he knew always held
something against him. He just couldn't fathom anyone being that
nice.
  "Kasumi?" he asked nervously
  "Mmmm?" She said as she was fixing the evening meal.
  "I'm gonna go with my mom. I might be a while, but I just wanna
say thanks. I mean, it's not like we really did anything, but...
I dunno. Thanks." While Ranma didn't consider Kasumi to be any
kind of romantic interest, he didn't want to hurt her feelings
either.
  "Are you leaving now, Ranma-kun?" To Kasumi, he looked so
adorable standing there. He didn't know how to act, or what to
say.
  "I'm still gonna go talk to everybody, but after that, yea." He
responded, a little more sure of himself.
  "If you are willing to wait a little longer, I can prepare a
supper for you and your mother." Kasumi always liked to live by
the most simple recipes. Right now, she was thinking of the most
often prepared dish at the Tendo Dojo:

  To Get a Happy Ranma:
    Take (1) Ranma, may be beaten, stirred up, or watered down
    Prepare Good Food: the bigger the dish, the better 
    Put several helpings in Ranma, serving size varies
    You get several dirty dishes, with (1) Happy Ranma!

  "Sure? Thanks Kasumi." Ranma couldn't believe his ears. A
home-cooked meal from Kasumi would be just the thing to perk up
the trip.
  "No trouble at all, Ranma-kun." (*Good Luck, Ranma-chan.*)

  Nabiki slammed the drawer to her desk shut when she heard the
knock on the door. "Yes?" she called out, wanting the intruder to
leave her alone.
  "Hey, Nabs." Ranma opened the door, looking in to see Nabiki
sitting cross legged at her desk.
  "Ranma." (*Think ice.*) 
  "I'm about to leave with Mom. Supposed to be some kinda
training mission. She said that I'd be gone for the whole
summer." Ranma admitted freely.
  "Really." (*Glacier.*) Nabiki stopped herself from moving. She
didn't dare let her body deny the cool, uncaring image that was
Nabiki Tendo.
  "Yea. I don't really know what's goin on here, but I don't
mind. Say, Nabs," Ranma said suddenly.
  "Yes, Ranma?" (*He needs to get out of this room soon. I'm not
certain how long I can keep cool. Then again, this is going to be
good.*) Nabiki could smell the opportunity oozing from Ranma.
  "My mom really wants to keep all this a secret, so I gotta ask
ya to keep it quiet." Ranma hated dealing with Nabiki, she always
knew what was going to be said, and held it over you for the
longest time.
  "Really." (*Real juicy this time. Remember, ICE.*) Nabiki
risked switching her legs, so that her left leg was now on top of
her right.
  "Look, Nabiki, this is important to my mom. I am asking that
you keep all this to yourself." Ranma was getting worried. This
usually didn't take this long.
  "All of what?" (*Smooth.*) Nabiki couldn't let this go too
fast, otherwise he would bolt, and the opportunity with him.
  "All'a this. Nabiki, I mean it. I don't want nobody to know
where I'm goin or what I'm doin when I get there." Ranma tried to
put his foot down, making sure that she knew his desire.
  "And, exactly what is this information you wish to keep quiet?"
(*Let him come to you. He can be more jackrabbit than Martial
Artist.*) she thought over her own words.
  "Don't start now, Nabiki. I got no time to throw words around.
If you heard anything when mom was talking, you know what I
mean." 
  The little financier quivered slightly, sensing the kill.
"Truly?" (*Keep calm.*)
  "Nabiki, what would it take for you to keep people in the dark
for the next few months about what's goin on?" Ranma finally
failed his negotiations. The latest in a long line of missed
successes.
  Nabiki tapped the pen to her chin for almost a minute, weighing
the options that she had, and what she could do about them. As
Ranma started to visibly sweat, she responded.
  "One photo shoot." (*Not too revealing, or Ranma would never go
for it.*)
  "Gee, thanks Nabiki. Well, I'll be seeing ya later then." Ranma
made for the door.
  "A week of servitude." (*I always need a good Enforcer.*)
  "What?!" Ranma stopped dead. He mulled it over for a second,
"O.K." He grabbed the door handle.
  "And one Unrestricted Favor." (*I'll wait to call him in for
that one...*)
  Ranma spun around. "You've got to be kidding! All of that?"
  "It is two months worth of time, and you did ask for the
effective use of misinformation. I will be putting myself at high
risk in dealing with your fiancees, and other suitors, I will
need to be paid well for my efforts and risks taken." 
  Ranma stewed for a moment, not wanting to be taken for a ride.
The only thing that stopped him from leaving immediately was that
she could make complete hash of the time he wanted to spend with
his mother. "Fine. Well, see ya later." he spat out
  (*Damn, I should have asked for two Unrestricted Favors.*)
  Waiting until the footsteps had reached the bottom of the
stairs, Nabiki opened the drawer to her desk. She looked at the
handful of pictures that sat there.
  (*Remember, he does love your sister, and she him.*) she
sighed.

  As his mother said, Ranma found Akane in the dojo. She and Soun
were there, sparring.
  "Hey, Akane." Ranma said, after having watched for a little
bit. He really didn't want to interupt, but he did have to get
going.
  "Yes, Ranma?" She and her father were circling each other,
trying to find a weakness in each other's defenses.
  "Mom'n I are gonna be takin' off for while. She says she's
gonna be trainin' me for somethin'. I might be gone 'til college,
least that's what she says."
  "Well, good luck." She jumped at her father, grabbed his gi and
pulled him around to throw him. He responded by turning with her,
keeping his feet well planted, standing like a rock
  Ranma stood there for a few minutes, watching the fight between
father and daughter. He saw many flaws in their technique as they
continued their discriminate grapples. While she was nowhere near
his level, the movements did flow through each other. She was
nowhere as jerky or rushed as when they first met almost two
years ago.
  "See ya around Tendo-san." 
  (*Thanks for nothin', tomboy.*) 
  After the boy left, she whispered under her breath, "Be
careful, Ranma."
  (*What could make three words so difficult?*) Akane tried to
hide the concern she felt for her fiancee. 

  Genma stopped the younger Saotome before he managed to get to
the front door. "Son. You are _not_ going with your mother. You
are staying here." (*Worry man, you know whats gonna happen to
the poor boy. You tried to save him twelve years ago, and you've
almost made it.*)
  "Look, Old Man. You got no say in this. I'm suprised she didn't
take your head right then and there. From what you've been
crammin' down my throat, I'm suprised that she didn't take mine.
  "But ya know what?  If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be in this
mess." Ranma was blunt with his words. He liked doing this a
little more than normal. He figured that his father needed to be
hit over his shiny head, and elected himself the chief wacker.
  "Son you don't have to go. You can stay here. You can keep on
training with me." (*He's got to stay here for his own good. He
just doesn't understand what he's getting into.*) Genma started
to shake with fear.
  "Like that's gonna do _me_ any good. I figure it's like this.
If we saw mom one week outa every year, I wouldn't _be_ like
this, AND I might not have this curse! So mom an' me are gonna
take the twelve weeks now." Ranma countered with great vigour.
  "Son, I am doing this for your own good. Just say that you are
staying here, and everything will be O.K." Genma's voice was
pleading. 
  (*Please, Ranma, choose to stay here. I can't sway your mother
no matter what techniques I use. She will destroy you, and
everything that you've worked for boy. You just don't know it
yet.*)
  "Pops, you're tryin to make it my decision. Fine. I Choose To
Go With MOM!" Ranma yelled, punctuating his choice with an
uppercut.
  **BAM**
  Genma sailed over the house and landed with a resounding... 
  **SPLASH**
  "Well, that takes care of that. Are you ready Mom?"
  "I am." 
  Ranma and his mother left the Tendo House and Dojo, one dearly
concerned for the future, one wistfully in the past.

  Ranma sat in the window seat on the train, watching the
landscape speed by.  For the first time that day, he started to
realize exactly he was doing.  Here he was, taking the fastest
train made, with a woman whom he barely knew, so he could be
trained in some esoteric martial art form so that he could
survive. 
  (*This is certainly wacky enough to be my life.  I guess that I
should get started on some of the mysteries.*)
  "Say, Mom, could ya tell me what's goin' on?" Ranma looked at
his mother as she regarded him.
  "How do you mean?"
  "You said you'ld tell me more later. Well later is now, and we
ain't doin much useful."
  "I suppose that this as good a time as any," she reached over
to the door and latched it shut.  "I was going to wait until we
got home, but I suppose that we could start now," she thought for
a few moments before continuing.
  "First I have a few questions, so I know where to start. Ranma,
I know that you have seen magic.  But, have you ever fought
demons?" Nodoka's attempt to feign casual interest turned into a
rough question, her words catching in her thoat.  Ranma didn't
seem to notice, or he didn't care.
  "Yea, a couple of times.  They weren't all that hard to beat,"
he bragged.  He knew that some of those things almost had him.
  "Could you tell me about them?" Ranma's mother pressed, as this
would be the focus of her training.
  "Well, the first one was summoned by the old freak.  It
appeared as my girl half and tried to drain me so it could live. 
It was sneaky as all hell, but once I figured it out I easily
kicked it's ass." 
  (*I really didn't need everybody's help.  But I'm not
complainin'.*) In truth, Ranma was deeply disturbed by the clone.
He had never before felt any less control.  The demon-spirit
pulled at his heart, the one thing he thought was closed.
  "Hmm.  What about the others?" she dismissed his first example
as unsuitable.  She needed to compare the abilities of his newest
foes to something, only that was not it.
  "Well, there's only a couple more, they're more ghosts than
demons.  The old freak found an oni.  It took over people's
bodies and you had to wack 'em in the head to get it to leave. 
That was more a pest than any real danger.
  "The other one was somethin of a revenge thing by this dweeb in
my class.  He's tryin to be some kind of wizard.  He said his
problem was that he called the wrong guy on his cosmic phone, or
somethin like that.  He made a magic thingy on the floor.  It was
supposed to hold him, only it was made for the wrong guy.  That
creep almost killed a few guys in my school before we killed it."
Ranma really disliked that event in his life.  The poor guy was a
heartbroken fool trying to solve his problems the wrong way. 
Gosunkugi would never be the same.
  "There was also the Legendary Phoenix, but that wasn't a demon,
really.  It just caused a bunch of damage.  Of course there's the
Seven Luck-Gods, you can't forget the pickle freaks like that.  I
think that Kasumi _still_ has some.  Prince Toma from his
imaginary island was tough to deal with.  Man, I almost wish I
didn't destroy that pool.  Then there was Herb, but I think
you've already heard about him and Saffron.  But, none of them
guys were demons, anyway," Ranma concluded
  "So, nothing has come after you on it's own."  Nodoka was
worried.  If he had so little contact with creatures outside of
this plane, her training may not be effective.
  "Nah, I wouldn't say that.  Most of the spirits and stuff was
sent after me.  Somebody came up with the idea.  I'm just usually
in the middle of it anyway."  He really didn't know why it was
that his life was such a mess.  If he didn't know better, one
would have thought he was living in one of those stupid comic
books Nabiki always read.
  "Son, I don't think that you have actually fought more than one
demon." She said gravely.
  "What do ya mean, Mom?" Ranma was begining to wonder if was
taking this a little too lightly.  (*Nah, she's just
overreacting.*)
  "The 'girl-form' demon was a spirit with a fixation on you. 
The 'demon' that was summoned by your classmate was a
homonculous, a magical construct.  The rest are martial artists. 
The Oni that you mentioned was the only actual demon you have
seen." She explained.
  "I'll take you word for it. Why do you ask, anyway?"
  "Ranma, The training that I will be giving you is oriented on
defeating demons."
  Ranma sat there and blinked at his mom. "Mom, you feelin O.K.?"
  Nodoka gave her son a small smile, "Ranma, my mother's clan has
opposed demons on more than one occasion."
  "Mom..."Ranma trailed off, not knowing exactly what to say.
  "Ranma, while it may be unbelievable to you, please remember
that I would not lie to you."
  A pained look washed over Ranma's face.  "Mom, I didn't wanna
do that to ya. Pops..."
  "Ranma, you want to know what is going on. This is a part of
it," she interrupted. It was important that he believe her, even
if it wasn't the entire truth.
  Ranma opened his mouth to defend himself, but nothing came out.
  "Yes, Mom."
  Nodoka weighed the facts at hand attempting paint the picture
of reality. She wanted to tell Ranma what he wanted, but had to
exclude the deeper details of her past. Some things Ranma simply
could not understand, or believe. 
  "Father was a foreign warrior scouting out enemy territory when
he met and was defeated by a ninja clan. He would have died had
he not been found by Mother. The problem started with the fact
that she was a member of that same clan. She was one of their
best trained, even one who trained others in the art.
  "Even though Father had used great magics to disguise himself,
she should have known who he was.  As it was, she took him in,
and nursed him back to health.
  "It was during this brief time that he fell in love with her.
He had learned that others of his scouting party still survived
and were planning on destroying that sect of ninjas. He then
vowed to forsake his master, and defend the woman that he loved."
She paused in her narration, momentarily licking her lips.  She
used it to hide her careful selection of the truth as Ranma would
not understand the full story.
  "He trailed Mother each night as they scouted out each of the
remaining scouts. All was going well for the ninja team, that is
until the last. This one, being no fool, laid a trap for the
clan, and would have destroyed them, were it not for Father. 
  "Mother recognized him almost immediately, and stood there
shocked as the final battle raged around her. The Ninja clan did
not see Father destroy the last Scout, and only saw him facing
Mother. When the clan attacked, he fled to fake his death."
  "So, what's so bad about that?" Ranma interjected.  Ninja love
stories were not his forte and he wanted to get to the part that
concerned him.
  "They were caught less than a month later, making love to each
other. They were cast out not only of the ninja sect, but the
whole clan as well. They were declared enemies of the clan and
were hunted for years.
  "During this time, they had been married, and I was born. I
still remember the awful times of running and hiding. They hid me
alone many a night to keep me safe. Either my Mother or Father
would get me. Often were they bloodied or bruised from battle."
  She continued in a fresh voice, attempting to hide the pain of
her early childhood. "You see, to my Mother's clan, I was an
abomination. I am a halfbreed of the worse sort, not even human
in their eyes. While they might have forgiven my Mother, I would
never be accepted."
  "I thought that your parents were dead."
  "They are. They were killed when I was ten."
  "How? I mean, if ya don't wanna tell me..."
  "Mother and Father were killed by a retalitory Shikima force.
They had sacrificed themselves to keep others safe. I didn't
actually see them die, but there wasn't much left when I found
them.
  "The ninja skills that they had taught me were only the
begining of my heritage. I had found a number of scrolls,
training methods of my Mothers clan, and the more advanced
techniques my Father knew. That is how I learned the techniques
that I will be teaching you. And that is also where I learned the
most of my history," she finished solomnly.
  "Whoa. That's heavy. What's the first lesson?" he asked
eagerly.
  Nodoka almost fell of her seat, surprised at her son's reaction
to fate.
  "Ranma, lets take one thing at a time. I would like to get to
know you. I mean, I didn't see you for over ten years. Then I saw
you only as Ranko, Akane's cousin." This was, in her mind, almost
more important than actually tutoring her son in the Arts of her
mother's clan. Knowing her son would allow her to tailor the
training procedures.
  (*Mom keeps putting this off as meaningless, but that is the
fifth time she brought it up.*) Ranma sighed as he thought that,
debating on how he should continue.
  "Mom, I really didn't mean ta do that to ya. I would'a come
out'n said somethin first thing I saw ya. Pops just forced me
into it. I really hated seein' your face when ya kept hearin that
Pops and I had 'just left'. It almost killed me. There were a
couple'a times I was ready to go over to the house, just to say
'Hi'. I wanted ya to know that I was really there. I wanted to
see ya, with me as me, not 'Ranko'."
  "I can't say that I really understand, son. I would like to
forgive you for lying, though. So, tell me about your days in
Nerima while you stayed at Tendo Dojo."
  "Eh? Oh...Where should I start? I can't think of all the things
to tell ya."
  "How about the begining. It is usually a good place to start."
  "Well, when Pops an' I first got there, it was rainin somethin
fierce. I kept tellin Pops that I didn't wanna go meet some
fiancee that I never met. Bein a girl at the time and wantin' to
get rid of the damn curse. But, we fought over it, and I beat him
up."
  "Even then you were able to beat Dearest. I am impressed, son."
  "He was fakin it. He took a street sign an wacked me on the
head. When I woke, I saw the Tendo's sign. 'Course I started to
wack'im around, but he wouldn't take 'NO' for an answer.
  "So here's a panda caryin a short red-head on it's shoulder.
The Tendos are shocked and all about this giant Panda so they
didn't see me as a girl. So old man Tendo grabbed me after I told
him who I was. He completely freaked when he felt my chest as he
hugged me. Fainted dead away."
  "I can imagine. Soun was never good at dealing with shock."
  Ranma appraised his mom for a second, "Well, when he woke up,
Nabs was callin him stupid for not knowin and callin me a she.
She even poked me to show up her dad," he blushed a little
remembering that embarassing scene. 
  "Poked you?"
  "Well, she actually kinda grabbed me... Mom, I ain't too comfy
talkin about this. I ain't never liked this curse. I might'a used
the body, you know, to get free eats and stuff. I can deal with
bein a girl from time to time, but I do not like it."
  "Do you mind if I ask why? I know that you are uncomfortable,
mostly due to the promise. Please, do not hesitate if that is the
only reason. I make a promise to you: I will listen to you,
whenever you wish."
  Ranma looked at his hands for a second, then turned his
appraising gaze back on her. "Mom... Did ya run into Kodachi or
Shampoo on your way to the Tendo's?"
  "No, why do you ask?" Nodoka was puzzled by her son's sudden
shift of mood. Things were going fine until...
  "You haven't been eat'n any weird fungus or stuff like that?"
  Nodoka merely blinked a couple of times, and started to laugh.
  (*What the... She ain't taking me serious.*)
  Nodoka looked at the expressions that ran over her son's face,
and redoubled her laughter.
  "You O.K. Mom?" genuine concern for her well being briefly took
over his thoughts. He reached out to her, just to have her fall
over laughing.
  (*What's goin on here!*) Ranma was worried that she had been
snatched by the Abnormal Police and replaced with a clone.
  Nodoka waves him off, trying to alleviate his concerns. Slowly
she manages to get her giggles under control, and sat in her
seat.
  "I'm sorry Ranma. This does have some getting used to." She
giggles a little more, wiping her tears from her face. She let
out a tremendous sigh, releasing a little of her stress. "I
needed that." she breathed lightly.
  "Mom, what's wrong with you?"
  Nodoka released another sigh, "Son, I am perfectly fine. I am
only worried about your safety." She tried to assuage her son's
concern, but didn't succeed.
  "Mom, you don't need to patronize me. I can't shake the feelin
that somethin just ain't right here. What's really goin on?" If
there was anything that Ranma didn't like, it was being left in
the dark.
  "Ranma, there is a great deal you don't know about me. You also
have little experience with the universe at large. The only way I
can protect you is to teach you. To do that, I need to know you
and gauge how you will react to the conflicts that you will
face."
  "What's so special about that? Why don't we get started on
training?" Ranma was getting impatient with his mother. He
learned the Hiryuu Shoten Ha manuver in less that three days, a
feat that Cologne said was impossible.
  "Ranma, I have never taught anyone my skills. You are my first
pupil. I need to know more about who _you_ are, not to mention
how _you_ think to teach you best."
  "If you don't know how to teach then why bring me all the way
out here!"
  "I know how to learn, and I have learned most of my father's
legacy. I will not lie to you that I know all of my families
abilities, or even if I can teach them to you. I do know that I
am the only one who _could_ teach you.
  "Whatever."
  Nodoka leaned towards her son, and placed a hand on his knee.
"Ranma, I want what is best for you. Please tell me more about my
son, the man called Ranma Saotome."
  After a long pause, Ranma picked up his story.

  Nodoka was able to determine a number of things about her son,
and incidentally her husband.  From his intense blush whenever
intimacy was mentioned, she guessed that Genma forbade talking of
it. Instead her husband had relied on the 'the woman must provide
for the man' ideal. 
  She sighed when she realized that her husband did a very good
job of closing off that part of Ranma. He had problems dealing
with his emotions in general, and specifically his sexuality.
  Such inhibited emotions and repressed sexual feelings were a
barrier to her. She would have to find a path through the walls
that her husband constructed to get to his greatest power and
ally. If it was not done properly, that same power could become
his worst enemy. It was this that she feared most.
  Curious to know more about his curse, she had cast a minor
spell. The curse seemed to balance him. She really couldn't put
her finger on it, but the magic of Jusenkyo had offset an older,
more powerful spell.
  Overall, it could be said that the long train ride was fruitful
for both passengers. Ranma released the pressure on his soul by
opening a small part for Nodoka, and she gained the trust of her
son.
  The pair walked from the train station in a pervasive quiet,
comfortable with each other.  Neither talked to the other, but
talk was not needed then. They entered a taxi, and Nodoka gave
the driver directions. 
  They sat in a compelling and yet comfortable silence. Even the
normally talkative driver remained quiet. The peace was
beautiful, and they all found it impossible to break it with the
harsh reality of words. 

  It was only midday when the two finally arrived at the house.
Ranma was absolutely blown away at the serene setting. The house
seemed huge, but understated at the same time. It was surrounded
by a large forest composed equally of pine and leafy trees, all
full of life and energy. 
  This place smelled alive and growing, a big change from the
city. The cherry trees that speckled the path to the house, gave
a sweet couterpoint to the tang of pine. Ranma grew heady from
the incense, and almost skipped to the house.
  Nodoka smiled at her son's antics, emoting with his childlike
joy. She decided that Ranma really did need this absence, this
'Home Away From Home'. He needed to heal his emotional scars that
he wore, caused to him through mistrust, deceit, and abuse.
  There was more to this place than smells and sights. This was a
special forest, selected and prepared. Nodoka toiled for many
years to bring the valley to it's current form. The trees were
not hers, she did not plant them. However, in a small way, this
forest _was_ her.
  She knew each tree, rock and pool. Each of them reflected only
a small part of what was her. Only taken as a whole could one see
her, the benefactor of the valley. She had drawn on the more
obscure forms of her father's line. She had bound this place to
her, and herself to it.
  She always felt at peace here. But she didn't spend all her
time here. No, that would drawn unwanted attention to this place
of learning. Demons of all kinds would filter through here,
attempting to pervert it and it's master.
  Nodoka pushed such thoughts aside when they arrived at the
house. It simply would not do.
  "Ranma, This is the first I have been here in almost a year.
Some cleaning needs to be done, and with your help it would only
take a couple hours," she supplied, letting Ranma know that his
help was expected.
  *sigh* "Yes mom." Ranma agreed, but not just because his mother
asked. He knew that there would be no better way to learn a house
than this. He also wanted to make up to her the years lost by his
father.
  "Next to the kitchen is the bath and some closets. Please take
some towels and robes and put them in the laundry room behind the
kitchen."
  "Sure."
  Nodoka placed her bundle, which included the ever present honor
blade of the Saotome Clan, down in the reception area inside the
door. She motioned to Ranma to follow suit. They then proceded
into the living room. Sparsely furnished and draped in white, it
was lovely in it's simplicity.
  Nodoka walked through the den then headed for the kitchen. On
the far wall there was a stairway going up to the second floor.
Opposing that there was a bay of windows ready to greet the
morning sun, or give a view of the clear night sky. A closet
between the staircase and the semi-open kitchen was stuffed with
a number of boxes. 
  Behind the stairs and next to the kitchen was the furo, a
little larger than the Tendo's bath. A series of smaller closets
containing bagged cloth and bathing supplies lined the oposing
wall. Ranma pulled out a few towels and a pair of robes, gagging
on the excessive use of mothballs. 
  Walking behind the kitchen, he found the laundry room and linen
closet. He placed the items on the washing machine, happy to be
momentarily rid of the stink. While there he grabbed a couple
sets of bed clothes as well. He looked around a little and found
the tool room and back entrance.
  About this time, the house lights came on. Ranma heard his
mother behind him, coming up from the basement. 
  "Ranma, could you answer me a question?" Nodoka busied herself
by filling the warm fridge with frozen foods.
  "Yea? What ya want to know?" He turned on the kitchen lights
and then off. Not able to tell the difference, he left them off.
  "I know that you spent sometime in school, like where you met
Hibiki-san. I would like to know of your other scholastic
endeavors." If Ranma had much scholastic inclination when he was
younger, she would be able to talk to him as a intellectual. She
didn't get that feeling from him, but it was best to ask.
  "Not much. Pop always made me go to school, but never let me
study much. I didn't mind too much, I liked sparring better."
  "So, he didn't teach you tactics? How about 'The Art of War'?
Did he not stress the importance of knowledge? I know you haven't
learned much about girls despite your curse, but hasn't he shown
you the value of charisma?" Nodoka finished with the frozen
vegetables and meat. She motioned Ranma down the corridor to the
basment.
  "'The Art of War'? As far as tactics goes, we talked about what
to do about a bunch of guys attackin' at once. We even went over
some katas that were meant for two guys workin' together. Dad
didn't do much more than the Art. Why?"
  Ranma walked infront of his mother, missing her grim face. She
knew now, beyond any shadow of doubt, that Genma had carefully
crafted this boy. He would indeed be afraid of his nature, and
possibly the training needed. 
  She responded by redirecting the question from the truth of the
matter, "'The Art of War' is a great literary piece. I would
personally make it required reading were I training you for the
last few years."
  "I'll think about it." Ranma said after a moment's
consideration. He wanted his mother to be proud of him, and he
would do almost anything to do so. Seppukku, however, was nowhere
on the list.
  The basement was a large as the main floor, but it felt cramped
due to all the rooms and narrow corridors. The basement was very
utilitarian, from the shower stall and toilet to the great metal
sink and tub-like freezer.  There were rooms that acted as
closets, electronics labs, even a library with a small desk. 
  One large space contained the bulky equipment necessary for the
house. The water heater also worked as the furnace, with a number
of insulated pipes running along the ceiling.
  "Mom, what are those?" He asked pointing to a number of large
metal boxes standing next to the heater. 
  "Those? They store electricity that comes down off the hill. We
also have some solar panels on the roof that supply a little
energy," she offered. This house was her pride and joy. It took
her a long time to get everything to work like she wanted.
  "Batteries, huh?" Ranma guessed
  "Something like that. They are flywheels, actually." Nodoka
returned, and impish smile on her lips. She pulled the box
freezer open and hands some paper wrapped bundles to her son.
  "YAH! That's COLD." He juggled the food to keep his hands from
frostbite. "That must have cost a bundle."
  "Actually, I invested in the company that designed them. These
are prototypes that the lab made. I am using them to test them in
the 'real world'. 
  "The rest, well, I was as frugal as possible," she smiled. She
liked showing off her toys, but resisted the temptation.
  "Neat." Ranma was impressed. He had seen the Saotome estate,
usually just in passing. It was equally impressive as this house,
yet the estate didn't have the 'new and livable' feel.
  "The house is for the most part self sufficient. While the
water heater is electric, it works on demand, and doubles as a
furnace." she points to the flywheels, "If these are completely
depleted, about a week and a half of sunshine, or three weeks of
intermittent, will bring them to full charge." She boasted. She
knew most of this was lost on her son, but she couldn't help
herself.
  "That'll take a while."
  "We also have a hydrogen power cell generator that uses
compressed natural gas." That wasn't all there was, but she did
not think that Ranma could take much more. 
  "Mom," Ranma stood there shaking his head, "are you some kind
of eco nut?"
  "No. I am an efficiency freak. There is a difference." She
smiles lightly.
  "Sure mom." Ranma smiles lightly as well, happy at her good
humor.

  (*Ranma is an energetic boy.*) she thought as she soaked in the
furo. (*No, he is an energetic man. He throws himself into
anything he does. He may not like doing some things, but once
told, he will do it.*) She parted her long tresses, cleansed of
the toils of work and daily oils. Her hands enjoyed the slick
feel of well maintained hair. It was amazing the length of her
hair, so different it was from the curled bun she normally wore.
  She breathed a wearied sigh. (*Genma, you fool, how could you
not teach him? It will not be easy for him to accept his
inheritance, even more so now. I must break the walls that you
have created without destroying the house that is his mind.*) She
stood in the furo, water sheeting off her. She stretched,
enjoying the relaxation the furo gave her.
  "All it would take is a little bit of sex." she shook her head.
(*That would kill him quicker than any sword or fist. He would
lose his confidence.*) She stepped out of the large bath, and
picked up her towel to cover her considerable attributes. 
  "No, it must be done the hard way."

*****************************************************************

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