Ranma 1/2

Disclaimer: I don’t own Ranma, Rumiko Takahashi does. I just borrowed some of the characters. Rated: NC-17

Shades of Home

Chapter 24

“What’s wrong with Kuno? He’s acting almost like he did before he got on medication”

Ranma looked at Danny and shrugged. “I been watching him. He’s taking his pills like he should but they don’t seem to be working and the pill is different. Find Sunny will ya. I’m gonna get t’ the bottom of this now. He was doing so good”

Ranma headed for the dojo; he knew Kuno would be there working out. And he intended to get to the bottom of Kuno’s behavior. He was acting enough like the old Kuno that they were all worried.

“Hey, Kuno. Give it a rest. I need t’ talk t’ ya.”

Kuno turned around, from where Ranma was standing he could see that Kuno had worked up a sweat. Kuno jumped from where he was standing to get slightly in Ranma’s face. “Shall we indulge in a bout of spirited combat? Man to man? Or shall you declare yourself . . . .”

“Shut up! What the hell is wrong with you? Ya act like ya use t’ and it’s not right. We’re havein’ a meetin’ in the commons. Come on. And put up that sword before ya cut off a toe or somethin’ ”

Ranma just caught Kuno by the shoulder when he tried to leave with the sword, took the sword from him and racked it.

Pulling Kuno along behind him he headed for the commons.

“Do you believe I have been perfidious? I take my medication as prescribed. I gave my word and the word of a Kuno is as good as carved in stone. I feel quite well, thank you. In fact I’ve never felt quite so blissful. Is that an appropriate word? I’m not sure. Perhaps I could look up somethin’ . . . ”

“I ain’t sure what blis . . . whatever is. But if ya mean you’re freakin’ out. Yeah ya are and it’s creepin’ us all out.”

Ranma reached the commons with Kuno in tow. Sunny was there and Danny; no Shuba, he was still looking for the also missing Ryouga. Leela slid in the door seconds later, her socks making her skid as she turned in the door.

“What’s up? Heard it was an emergency?”

“Not a real bad one I don’t think.” Ranma nodded to a zoned out Kuno, who was staring out the window and composing a haiku to a cloud. “He’s messed up and getting worse daily. We need to figure out what’s going on. He was doing real good, but now . . . Sunny, what the hell is going on with him? Figure it out for me, Please.”

Sunny went over to Kuno and took his hand, pulling him onto the couch beside her, she patted his hand and asked, “How are you feeling today Kuno-kun? You seem to be a little confused. Have you been taking your medicine like you’re supposed to?”

Kuno frowned. ”I don’t think I feel as I should. Something is not quite correct. I feel like I use to before I got better. I’m afraid . . . ” He looked like he was going to break down suddenly. “I hate feeling like this. I try to keep it under control, but it’s so hard. I know how I should act but the bad old ways are sneaking up on me again and I don’t like it.” He turned to Ranma helplessly. “Please. I don’t like this. What’s wrong with me? The old medicine worked.“

Sunny put her hand on Kuno’s cheek and turned his head to look at her again. “What do you mean the old medicine worked? Did your psychiatrist change your medicine? Do you remember? Danny . . . go to his room and bring me his medicine please.”

“I, Tatewaki Kuno, the Rising Young . . . no, that’s not right. What’s happening to me? It’s all wrong.” Kuno let his head hang, hiding his face in his sweaty hakamashita.

Sunny patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry. We’ll figure this out. I’m calling his Doctor. I don’t know why the idiot fooled with something that was working, but I intend to find out. Where’s my phone? Damnit, I left it in my room. Ranma, do you have yours?”

“Yeah. Here. You gonna call his shrink?” Ranma couldn’t hide his worry. Kuno was slipping fast. The last day or two he’d really reverted.

Sunny called Kuno’s Dr. and talked to him, finally telling him that he was a fool and that he’d better renew Kuno’s old prescription. When he objected, she got nasty.

“Well. All I can tell you is that he’s going crazy right before our eyes. So unless the side effects are really bad, you better leave well enough alone . . . They’re what? . . . Oh, I see. You didn’t tell him? Why not? . . . I’ll talk to him about it and get right back to you.”

Sunny closed the phone and rubbed her forehead.

“It seems that the medicine which works best for Kuno has some side effects. And he’s getting one of the worst ones. I need to speak to him alone.”

Kuno, seeing everyone looking at him, had an attack of paranoia.

“NO! I want Ranma here. I don’t feel right. I don’t understand why he changed my pills. They worked quite well and . . . Shit! Just tell me what’s going on. What side effects?”

Sunny looked uncomfortable. ”Maybe we should talk privately first. The effects are somewhat . . . umm . . . personal.”

Kuno was by now really losing his patience. “I don’t care what the effects are. I mean, I don’t care if they know them. Just tell me what they are. If you all know, then you can help me with them. I feel like I’m falling apart here. It’s all I can do not to start spouting poetry. If you don’t get on with it, I swear I’ll recite the Iliad to you . . . in Greek.”

“God, anything but that. All right. I’ll spill, but you’re not going to like this. The side effect the Doctor was talking about . . . The medication can result in sterility, especially in people our age. So he changed the medication. We’ll try another and another until we find . . . ”

Kuno interrupted, “Sterility. What difference does that make to me? I don’t care. I want to go back to the old medication. It works. This shit doesn’t.”

Sunny patted his hand and looked at Ranma. “Maybe he doesn’t really understand. What do I do? You try Ran-chan”

“UH . . . Kuno? You paying attention? Sterility . . . uh . . . ya can’t have kids.”

“Saotome, I’m insane. Not stupid or ignorant. I know what you’re trying to say. I’ve got the last rags of sanity gathered around me. Pay attention. I don’t care if I can’t have kids, in fact it’s good, do you really think that I’m ever going to have a child? How could I condemn a child to the life I live? My insanity is hereditary, for God sake. How can I have a child who will be like me or even worse, Kodachi? Living in constant fear that I’ll forget my meds or that they’ll stop working. I’ve been scared to death for the last few days. I can’t live like this, not since I know how I’m supposed to feel. I still have some of the old medication left. Sunny, if I take it now, how long before I get better again?”

Sunny was on the phone again. After talking to the Doctor again, she turned to Kuno telling him to take a pill right away and then to go back to his old schedule.

“In a day or two you should be back to normal. Don’t worry. This medication doesn’t stop working. If you’re sure, I’ll put a note in your file that you are aware of the effects and are willing to accept them. That way they won’t fool with your meds again. Didn’t that stupid man explain why he was changing your meds to you?”

“No, he just said that this prescription was better for me. I’m going to start asking a lot more questions. Believe me. I’m going to take a shower and then lie down til that pill takes effect. I may lock myself in my room til I’m back to what passes for normal with me.”

Ranma motioned to Danny and Leela. “Danny, why don’t you take Kuno to his room and give him a hand? Leela, I’d like you to take a note to the Doctor yourself. Hand deliver it to him and no one else.”

Ranma wrote a nasty note to the Doctor, telling him if he ever endangered his crew again he’d be seeing him in person. Signing it: Saotome Ranma ‘PS I’m not quite sane myself so be careful of my people.’

Leela came back about ten minutes later to find Ranma sitting between Sunny’s feet while she brushed his hair. He turned his head slightly to see who was there and Leela smiled at him. They looked so happy together. Sunny was wearing the silliest smile and Ranma looked relaxed with his hair down around his shoulders and his bangs in his eyes. His slow, sleepy blink made him look so cute.

Leela burst into tears. Ranma just got up and put his arms around her. Sunny came to her other side and did the same.

“I miss Ryouga so much. When are they going to find him? What if he’s dead. What if he’s cold or hungry or hurt and I can’t find him? Damnit!” Leela sniffled and tried to wipe her nose on her sleeve.

“Here use this. Saotome, if you made her cry, I’ll pound ya into the ground. What‘s going on here?” Ryouga handed Leela a bandanna and glared at Ranma. “Uhhh? Leela, I can’t breathe?”

Leela had attached herself to Ryouga and was hugging him as if she’d never let go. Then she did let go and smacked him in the chest as hard as she could.

“Damn you! If you ever scare me like that again I’ll chain ya to me. I swear. Don’t you ever get lost like that again! Where were you?”

Ryouga looked embarrassed. “I never get hurt or go hungry and I don’t notice the cold much. If ya want, I’ll let Ranma smack me for ya, I barely felt that. I feel really bad ya felt like . . . scared for me? I’m sorry I scared ya. I wound up in Nepal. And if ya want t’ chain me to ya, I won’t complain. But how are we gonna . . . Oh! Steven gave me this.” Ryouga displayed a watch that was a carbon copy of Kuno’s antique. “ And one for you, Ranma, I really think this is going to be good. I can’t lose it unless I take it off but Steven threatened to weld it . . . mmmmmmm”

Leela kissed Ryouga to shut him up. It worked.

Ranma led Sunny out of the room, wishing he had the nerve to kiss her but she’d just smack him and call him a pervert, so he didn’t even try.

“Just like that he comes back? No . . . apology? Nothing?” Sunny was bemused and a little mad.

“Yeah. It used to happen so often that we just kinda got over it. Ya know? He’d be gone a week or two and just be back. No big deal. But I guess it was. We just didn’t notice so much. Kinda sad really”

~ * ~

“Steven, Dorie said it was ok for me to come in so I did.” Ranma stuck his head around the door of Steven’s office.

“Hey. Ranma, come in. I’m reading some boring reports so I’m glad to see you. What do you need?” Steven pinched the bridge of his nose. The reports were not very good, the Chinese had finally confessed that incursions had been happening for the last six months, so there was a lot of clean up to do. And the look on Ranma’s face said he had something important up his sleeve.

“I need t’ see my Pop. I keep havin’ this nightmare and Ryouga says the only way t’ get rid of it is t’ see him. I can’t quite decide which is worse, havin’ the dream or seein’ him. But Ryu says lack a’ sleep is beginnin’ t’ interfere with my trainin’ and so I’m gonna go. Can ya fix it for me?”

“Sure. I can get you into see him this afternoon, if you want. I’d do it as soon as possible, so as not to lose your nerve. You know? Want to wait while I make a call?” Steven pinned Ranma with a speculative look.

Ranma didn’t but he stayed anyway. Steven called the warden of the prison Genma was in and talked to him for a minute. Then made another call to the motor pool.

“I can’t get a driver for you. Have you gotten your drivers licence yet?” Steven looked at Ranma. He didn’t look like he was paying much attention, just staring out the window like he saw something nasty. {Memories can be a bitch.}

“Huh? Oh, yeah, licence. Got one. If I have t’ drive myself, I’d like a motorcycle. I’m not really much for being shut in ya know.”

“Ok, I’ll get you something nice. Just be careful! I don’t feel like enduring one of Sunny’s scolds because you wrecked yourself.”

“Ok” Ranma gave Steven a big grin. “I promise I won’t wrap myself around a tree like you did last week”

“Damnit! Sunny’s got a big mouth. I take that back! She’s got a Everyready Bunny mouth. It just keeps on going.”

Ranma suddenly looked mad. “Hey! Watch it. Don’t pick on Sunny. Not around me any way.”

“Sorry, didn’t mean anything. I’m just recovering from her scold for wrecking myself. Go to the motor pool and they’ll give you a bike.” Steven smiled behind Ranma’s back. {So that’s the way it goes.}

~ * ~

Ranma had dressed carefully for his visit. He wanted to make a good impression, not on his Pop but on the warden and guards. He didn’t want them to think he was anything like Genma. He was wearing black twill Dockers, a red silk tank top with a black button down shirt on top of it and a black twill casual jacket. He had given up his Chinese shoes months ago for boots, so he was wearing a pair of black biking boots. And his new watch. Sunny had made sure he was wearing it just before he left.

As he stepped off the bike he wondered exactly where he should go, he’d never done this before and didn’t intend to do it again. Luckily a guard came over and asked if he was Saotome before he lost his nerve and left.

”Yeah. Ranma. Wha’d ya want?”

“Easy there! Don’t get hostile. Steven told us to look out for you. He said there were problems between you two. You don’t have to worry about him attacking you. The same electronics that keep him from escaping will deep him a good boy. Came from some stuff Steven discovered somewhere or other.”

Ranma didn’t know wether to laugh or cry, it didn’t take a genius to figure out what the electronics really were.

When he got to the first gate, the guard asked him if he had any prohibited materials and Ranma laughed “I guess I do.” He produced the SP-24 and gave it to the gate guard, remarking, “I want that back the minute I leave, no messing around.”

“Yeah kid, who do you think you are? Department 13 or something.” The guard’s authoritative attitude set Ranma even more on edge.

“ I am Department 13 and not in the mood for some pissy prison guard. Ya wanna search me?”

His attitude made the gate guard mad. So he did want to search him, in fact he insisted on a strip search. Ranma just laughed nastily, followed him into the side room and took off his clothes, folding them neatly so that they wouldn’t wrinkle. When he turned, he smirked at the guard.

“You ain’t gonna like what ya see, but I don’t want any puking or anything like that.” Ranma concentrated and brought blood to the surface of his skin, showing off his scars. “Pretty huh, courtesy of the men my Pop sold me to. Ya done yet?”

The guard just gulped and left the room

The warden greeted him when he left, he didn’t look pleased

“Got off on the wrong foot, didn’t you young man? We don’t want any trouble. Steven said you had authority figure issues.”

Ranma gave the Warden an exasperated look.

“Yeah. Sometimes I just can’t resist gettin’ into a pissin’ contest with ass-holes like that guy, and I’m not in the best a’ moods. I don’t wannna be here, but my shrink says I need t’ do this. So can we just find Pop and get this over with?”

“I heard that he sold you and I’m sure it was an unpleasant experience but . . .”

“Gettin’ hit in the head with a brick is an unpleasant experience. Ya got surveillance cameras in that room . . . I know because I heard it whine. Look at the tape and then we’ll discuss it.”

Ranma followed the man into a small room. There was a small table and two chairs, they were all bolted to the floor and the only way to sit in the chairs was to swivel them sideways. There was also a two-way mirror on the wall.

“We’ll be keeping an eye on you through that. If he tries anything, we’ll be in here in a flash”

“Yeah, you’ll have t’ rescue him, because I’m not puttin’ up with no shit from him, not no more, ever.”

Ranma lost every bit of the language skills he had when he got upset, and his accent got so thick that the Warden wasn’t sure exactly what he’d said, but he knew it wasn’t good.

“Don’t be afraid. He won’t hurt you, after all, you’re his son.”

“Never made no dif. ‘for this! Why ‘ud it make any now?” Ranama sighed and shook his head. “Look, I’m sorry I’m bein’ a jack ass, but this is really difficult and can we just get it over with?”

The warden buzzed for Genma to be brought in.

Genma peeked into the room, then entered with his head down. He walked over to one of the chairs and sat down. He seemed very subdued.

“Hello, Son. I’m glad to see you. I’ve been asking for you for months. Why didn’t they tell you I wanted you before now?”

Ranma wanted to scream; just like Pops to blame everyone but himself.

“Pop, they been tryin’ t’ get me t’ see ya for months. I didn’t want t’ be here. I never wanted t’ see ya again.” Ranma bit his lip to keep from snarling.

“I love you, Son, I never tried to hurt you. I just got caught up in the moment. You have no idea how much money they offered me and I didn’t think but what I could get you back. I didn’t know they were going to take you out of Japan, much less this world.”

Ranma just stared at Genma for a minute. ”You knew what a Chain Child Agency was, didn’t you?! Damn you, you knew!”

Ranma had all he could do not to smash him in the face. But he wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of making him lose his temper, then he would feel justified in putting on that hurt, forlorn face he used to make Ranma feel guilty because he’d been rude. It never worked very well and usually just made him madder Guilt tripping him didn’t have the effect it did on most kids.

“Oh no I . . . Well, I guess I kinda did, but I meant to get you back right away, I just . . . I mean they moved you. It was only two days . . . I got drunk with Soun and . . . I’m sorry.”

Ranma took a deep cleansing breath; it didn’t work. All he could do was snarl and swear. He tried hard not to lose his temper and almost succeeded. He didn’t tear up the room like he wanted to. He could have, the table and chairs being bolted to the floor posed no obstacle to his strength but he was not going to act like a kid in a temper tantrum.

Instead, he just took off his jacket and shirts. Then he drew blood to the surface of his skin like he’d done for the guard. The scars on his back and shoulders grew livid and stood out against his skin like they were fresh wounds.

“They whipped me Pop. I’m not a good boy. I didn’t kill the man like they wanted me to. I killed him quick, so he wouldn’t suffer. You know about suffering? “At Genma’s head shake, he went on. “No, I didn’t think so. I spent my life in misery and didn’t even know it. I didn’t understand until I started middle school, then Nerima showed me something of what I missed. But when I wound up in the Compound and Department 13, I really found out what I missed. Steven was a total stranger when we met but he showed me more compassion in an hour than you did in my whole life. Ya know, it’s really all right for me to groan a little when I get sick. If I’m hurt bad enough, it’s ok to pass out.” Ranma pointed to the scars on his chest. “I nearly bled to death. Know what the guys I fight with did? They got upset. They nearly cried over me. Men who’ve fought and bled in combat on three continents, good men, worried over me. Not like you, all you ever did was tell me to shut up, be a man, you were more concerned about wether I could work the next day, not if I was really sick or hurt. I hate you. I never want to see you again. Don’t ask for me anymore, ‘cause I won’t come.”

Ranma grabbed his clothes and turned to leave, but Genma tried to stop him.

“Don’t go. If you go, they won’t consider my parol for another five years. I need to get out of here. You always were a selfish boy. Consider me for a change.”

Ranma jerked his arm out of Genma’s grip; put on his clothes and turned around, slamming both hands palm out into Genma’s chest. He put him halfway through the wall.

“Aka Tora Tsuba!!”

Ranma threw the ball of razor-sharp energy blades into the center of Genma’s chest. It cut him up and left him in a bleeding huddle on the floor. Ranma grabbed the door, and in his anger, didn’t even notice that not only was it locked, but it was an inch thick sheet of reinforced steel. He tossed the crumpled remains at Genma and stalked into the hall, heading for the nearest exit. {Damnit, I swore I wasn’t gonna lose my temper.}

“Hey, stop where you are.”

“I don’t think so!” Ranma wasn’t in the mood to argue with some hack guard.

“Leave it. Ranma, I need you to stay just a minute. We need to talk”

The Warden didn’t want Ranma to leave until he was calmer. Steven had warned him that an upset Ranma could be as destructive as an earthquake, so he just wanted to keep Ranma long enough for him to cool off.

“Don’t want to talk. Want out of here.” Then something Genma had said hit him. “Wait. What did he say about Parole? I thought he wasn’t eligible for parole for at least twenty years. Or was it never.” Ranma scowled at the Warden like he was going to bite.

“Well, there is some disagreement about that. Some of the more liberal elements don’t see any reason to keep anyone in prison for life, others think slavers of any sort should spend life. After all, isn’t that what they condemn their victims to . . . ” The Warden trailed off as he remembered Ranma had been one of those victims.

“A-hem . . . anyway, he’s not eligible for parole for twenty years, even if they push that law through, so don’t worry about him bothering you. I should give you a lecture about striking Genma, after all he can’t really fight back. The equipment that prevents him from leaving, prevents him from using his chi attacks, but he laid hands on you first, so I’m not going to say anything. Have you cooled off? I’ll let you leave as soon as I’m sure you’re not going to wreck the vicinity.” The Warden waited patiently while Ranma rubbed the back of his head, stretching out tense muscles

“I’m ok. Sorry about the door. I’ll fix it if ya want.” Ranma started back toward the room just in time to hear his Pop telling a guard; “He always was an ungrateful brat. I sacrificed myself so he could be the best martial artist in the world and what thanks do I get? He waits until I can’t defend myself and he attacks me for no reason. What did I do to deserve this fate?” Ranma was about ready to start another fight when the guard just told Genma to shut up.

“If you was my Dad, I’d cut your throat. It makes me sick. You sold him and then try to justify your stupidity by saying you were going to steal him back? What the hell is that? That’s why we keep you sequestered, even the most hardened criminals here want a piece of you and I wish we could give it to them. You’d be better off to keep your mouth shut.”

Ranma turned to the Warden. “Sekis . . . What’s that? Who wants a piece of him?”

The Warden explained sequestered to Ranma and ended up telling him that every con in the prison with a child or little brother wanted to cut Genma into fish bait.

Ranma made it to the gate without further incident, reclaimed his knife and left. He got on his bike and headed back to the Compound.

~ * ~

Ranma was enjoying his ride back; the Kawasaki Vulcan 1600 Classic was a big bike. Its 1552cc motor was responsive and quick, it banged through the gears, it’s V-twin four stroke pouring out the power like a power plant twice its size. It sucked asphalt under its large tires and threw itself into curves like they were nothing. Ranma used his strength to bull the bike around curves at speeds it shouldn’t have held to

He tried to run away from his pain, but he couldn’t run away from himself. He knew he shouldn’t be pushing the bike and himself so hard but as long as the Vulcan could hold up, he was going to push the edge of its traction and red line

The trouble he was inviting didn’t come from the Vulcan, but from a dark, indiscriminate van which cut him off from a side road. He dropped a gear and threw the bike into a power skid that fish tailed the bike past the bumper of the van and swore at the driver, flashing the man a well-understood one finger salute. Instead of trying to stop or back up, the van started after him

{What the hell? This guy ain’t backin’ off.}

Ranma pushed the big bike harder than ever, he wasn’t going to stay around and try to fight these people if he could get out of it. He wasn’t about to kill someone unless he was forced to. What he wanted was to get his pursuers where he could get his hands on one. He had a lot of questions and he wanted answers. He wasn’t going to get them this time.

As Ranma forced the bike to stay on a curve by racking down a gear then powering around the sharp curve, he finally lost traction, the 300mm dual disc front brake held, but the single rear brake let loose. The brake pucks had over heated and failed. He lost it and headed for the ditch but his strength and martial arts training saved him, he managed to wrestle the bike into submission again. But the van following him didn’t make it, the curve which had almost defeated Ranma got the van. They had been too busy watching Ranma almost wreck so they did, skidding into the ditch and rolling over.

Ranma got the Vulcan stopped and dismounted; he ran to the van but the four men in it were all dead. Two obviously killed in the wreck the other two had just died. He couldn’t see any reason.

Ranma got on his cell phone and called Cen. Ops. A sweeper team showed up less than half an hour later, using the signal from his watch to zero in on his location. “Get every thing out of their pockets and search the van. Steven will want to see everything.” The Head of the sweeper team looked at Ranma. “My orders are to bring you back to the Compound. I don’t need trouble with you. Come easy or come hard. Steven said to tell you that he’ll have your ass if you don’t cooperate. I’ve brought two of my best enforcers, so don’t get cocky.”

Ranma just eyed the man and wondered if there was some entity somewhere who had it in for him. One of the enforcers looked at him and just shrugged. “If you want him wrestled, you do it. I’m not paid enough to piss off a George.” Turning to Ranma he said, “I recognize you. We’re not gonna try anything with you, but if I was you, I’d come with me. We’ll get you back to the Compound, bike and all. I think it’d be easier than tryin’ to ram that bike through the mountains after dark. Sun’s going down fast.”

Ranma decided to go with the sweepers. He was tired and disgusted. The brakes on the bike weren’t trustworthy after being over heated. Great ending to a great day.

~ * ~

Ranma walked into the common room and flopped down on the couch. He’d taken a shower and felt better but it was almost 8pm and he was still hyped. The run through the mountains and a short talk with Steven had left him on edge.

He wished Sunny hadn’t gone to the movies with Leela. He couldn’t find anyone. Kuno was teaching a late swordsmanship class and Ryouga, Shuba, and Danny were no where to be found. He couldn’t even find any of his secondary team. The Conroy-gumi had all gone into Nerima.

Ranma turned on the TV and didn’t watch a game show. He started to nod off but was suddenly jerked awake by giggles coming from the hall.

“Ryouga, you’re awful. I know it was a stupid movie but . . . What? Don’t shush me.”

But Ryouga shushed again saying, “Hush. I want to hear this, Leela. Something about a chase in the mountains. Let’s go see if we can’t get it on the radio station's TV affiliate.”

Ryouga, Sunny and Leela hurried in and Ryu grabbed the remote. He found the channel and climbed over the back of the couch. Sunny and Leela took up positions on either side of the two boys.

“As you can see, we were lucky enough to get exclusive footage of a road rage incident in the mountains outside of Nerima. Our newest Helicopter was on its maiden flight and happened to see this outrageous attack by a van on a motorcycle. Our pilot and news person were horrified to see this attack and their quick thinking and experience gave us this footage of part of the crime. If anyone knows anything about this, we are asking that you please contact Nerima P.D. Is the biker safe? Who is he or she? Why did the van chase this person? These questions and others must be answered.“

The Television announcer continued to babble but the footage was definitely obviously Ranma running ahead of a large van. They entered a tunnel and the chopper lost them. But the station started the three minute segment again with more comment by the announcer.

“Damnit! Steven’s gonna have my hide.”

Just then Ranma’s phone started to ring.

“Moshi-Moshi!. . . No! I’m fine . . . back at the dorm. Yeah, you guys stay there. Have fun. I’m stayin’ right here.” Ranma hung up only to have the thing ring again. “Moshi-moshi. . . . Steven. Look. I’m really sorry. I had no idea I was bein’ filmed. I was . . . Oh, Ok”

Ranma’s phone rang for the third time “Damnit Mo . . . what? No. I’m Ok. Come back, and I’ll tell you all at once. Twenty minutes?”

Sunny had been holding in and the verbal dam finally burst, “Saotome Ranma, what the devil have you been doing you could have been killed what did that fool think he was doing why did he chase you I want you to know that I don’t like it when you do stuff like that I . . . ” Sunny took a deep breath and stopped talking all on her own. She wrapped her arms around Ranma and burst into tears.

Ranma yelped and leaned back, away from Sunny. He was waiting for her to hit him, but all she did was hug him tighter and cry harder.

“Ranma, I hate it when you pull back like that. I thought you liked me just a little Why won’t you let me hug you.”

Sunny started to pull away, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand.

Ranma tentatively put his arms around her. When she showed no sighs of smacking him, he awkwardly pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and wiped at her face. “Don’t cry Sunny. I’m fine. I don’t know what those guys wanted but Steven said he’ll call when he knows something. Probably not till tomorrow.”

“Who called?” Leela was leaning on Ryouga’s chest, looking a little worried.

“The first call was from Conroy. He wanted to know if I wanted my team to come back and cover me. The third was from Shuba, he’s with Kuno and Danny, they’re on their way back. I’ll tell everyone what happened when they get here. Ok?”

Ranma found that he enjoyed having Sunny hug him. He moved carefully until she was leaning against his shoulder; her soft sniffling made him feel like a jerk.

Ten silent minutes later they’d seen the footage half a dozen times and listened to the same commentary.

“OK, spill. What the hell is going on?” Shuba didn’t even take time to get seated. He pelted Ranma with questions as he, Danny, and Kuno got settled.

Ranma told his story, ending with, “Two of the guys died from the wreck, but the other two didn’t have enough injuries to kill them. They just died. Steven said he’d have answers by tomorrow. He said I should just relax until then. How can I relax? Someone tried t’ kill me or at least take me prisoner. I don’t like it”

Shuba rubbed the back of his neck and snapped, “I’m going to Cen. Ops” He jumped up and left.

Danny eyed Kuno. “I don’t know about you, but I’m gonna have a look around outside. You comin’?”

“Yes, I’m coming. I don’t think there’s any chance of someone being out there, but you never know.”

Ranma started to get up and follow them, but Sunny wrapped herself around him and pulled him back onto the couch.

“NO! Ranma, you look like hell. You’re exhausted. You rest and let the rest of the manly men take over. Ryouga, are you staying here?”

Ryouga looked at Ranma and said, “Yeah, I’ll stay here, even if it’s just to keep Ran-chan from wearing himself out even more. Ranma, lie down before you fall down. For ...Damnit! No!”

Ranma had headed for the door, but Ryouga stopped him and picking him up, dumped him on the couch again. Ranma started to wrestle with him and they wound up wrestling around until they fell onto the floor. Finally Ranma gave up, he was more tired than he’d thought so, panting and laughing, he exclaimed, “Ok Ryu-kun. I give. I’ll be a good boy and stay here. I’m pooped.”

Leela demanded that they stop fooling around as her favorite show was on and she wanted to see it without ‘You guys shaking the couch like an earthquake.’ So Ryouga flopped down on one end of the love seat and pulled Leela onto it next to him.

Sunny got Ranma to lie down on the big couch and she sat down at his feet. They watched the show for a while but soon began to fall asleep.

Leela hated this show, as it was boring, but had chosen it just because of that. She’d hoped that it would make Ranma fall asleep. It was working, until Ranma straightened his leg out too much and kicked Sunny in the thigh.

“Ow! Hey Ran-chan. Watch it.” Sunny rubbed her leg and poked Ranma’s foot.

“Shit! Sunny, I”m so sorry, are you all right. I’ll sit up.” Ranma reached out to rub her leg like he would have with one of the guys. He jerked back like he’d been burned, looking at Sunny with fear in his eyes.

“Sorry, Sorry. Don’t be mad.”

Ryouga laughed lazily, half asleep himself.

“Ranma, you pervert.”

Ranma curled up on the couch with his arms over his head, like he was afraid someone would hurt him.

“I’m sorry. I’m not a pervert, I just . . . ”

Sunny, Ryouga and Leela all looked at Ranma then gathered around him.

“Hey, I didn’t mean it! Damnit, Akane used to call him a pervert if he even touched her. Any accidental touch of any kind, got him hammered into the dirt. Ranma come out. Sunny’s not going to be mad. It was an accident. Here, look. “

Ryouga made all the connections and didn’t like where they led.

Ranma was awkward around girls, almost as awkward as he’d been until Leela had taught him how to act around her. He found that he enjoyed her company, now that he didn’t feel like an idiot every time she looked at him.

Now he knew that Akane had done Ranma a great deal of damage, and he wasn’t sure how to start to fix it, but getting him to see that Sunny wasn’t going to flatten him every time he accidentally got too personal was a good start.

“Here. Sunny, you sit here and Ranma, you sit right by her. Just sit there. She’s not going to be mad, are ya?”

Sunny muttered something about Akane and ‘violent b witch . . . crazy’ then sat where Ryouga pointed. Ranma tentatively sat next to her, as far away as he could get without falling off the couch. Ryouga moved Sunny to the end of the couch which had an arm and practically dragged Ranma to sit next to her with only a few inches between them.

“Just sit there. She’s not going to bite you. Watch the show.”

Ranma yawned, it had been a long day and he was getting sleepy. Sunny was nodding too. Soon they were both asleep, leaning against each other. Ryouga smirked and poked Leela.

“Bed for us, Sweetie. Just let them stay there. It’ll be good for both of them.”

~ * ~

Ranma woke up and realized he had his head on something that, while it was soft, wasn’t his pillow.

“Yaaahhhhh!”

Ranma jumped off Sunny and fell onto the floor. He scuttled, crabwise, backwards until he hit the coffee table, then scooted it into the love seat. Jammed between the coffee table and couch, he cringed, waiting for Sunny to smash him into the ceiling. He’d awakened with his head nestled against her breast bone, squarely between her breasts.

Sunny sat up and looked at Ranma with the most puzzled expression on her face

“Ranma, what is wrong with you? I was sleeping so good and I don’t want to get up yet. Come back. I’m cold.”

“Sorry, Sorry, I’m so sorry. Sunny, don’t be mad! I didn’t mean anything! I really didn’t!”

Ranma blinked, then cringed again. Sunny had gotten up. She looked a cross between mad and disgusted. His heart nearly broke.

“Saotome Ranma, you get back on that couch right now!”

Ranma got up and lay down on the couch on his stomach. She obviously didn’t want to have to bend down to clobber him. He put his hands over the back of his head and waited.

“Ahem! On your back please.” Sunny twirled her finger to indicate what she wanted.

{Oh. She wants to punch me in the stomach. I might as well get it over with}

Ranma rolled over. Sunny pushed and poked at him until she had him in the position she wanted. On his back with his hands over his head, one leg against the back of the couch, the other lying on the seat.

“Move your feet. I don’t fancy having your heel in my gut.” Sunny kneeled between Ranma’s legs and then gently lay down on him, cuddling up on his chest. She fidgeted a bit and fished around underneath him.

“Put your arms down now.”

“But . . . Sunny, there’s no place for me to put them except on you.”

“Yeah, I know Stooopid. I’m cold. Hold me.”

She was on his chest, cuddled against him with her hands clasped under her chin, Ranma’s pigtail in her hand. It took her about thirty seconds to fall back asleep murmuring “Ranma no Baka. Koishii.”

Ranma wrapped his arms around Sunny wondering if he was lucky or if she was going to really get him when she woke up. He decided to enjoy holding her while he had a chance and worry about getting killed later. {I could learn to like this . . . A lot}