Wish you never left - Chapter 3

      Disclaimer: These characters are not mine. They belong to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi and her licensees (Viz Communications in North America). This work is strictly for the non-profit enjoyment of fans. No copyright infringement is intended.

      Last updated: 19/12/05

      Kasumi woke rather suddenly, the dawn just breaking over the horizon. Her brow furrowed in consternation - something was wrong in the house.

      Stretching gently, she rose from her bed and dressed. She moved quickly and quietly down stairs, heading first for the furo to fill and ready it for use by the house occupants before moving onto the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

      Even though she heard it long before she could see it, she still opened the door and looked at the Furo tap, already turned on, slowly filling the huge tub with hot water.

      Leaving it to complete filling, she moved back towards the hall and the kitchen.

      Once again, she knew it was happening before entered, this time it was the smells of cooking rather than sounds of water that came from her domain.

      Turning into the kitchen, she stopped suddenly, blinking at the sight of the boiling pot and kettle, as well as Ranma-chan leaning against the bench. Beside her on the cutting board was what looked like dough, though the blue eyes of the chef looked at the wall, a distant look on her face as she cradled an old rolling pin.

      Kasumi didn't move for a long moment, her mind awash with the turmoil as she recalled this was apparently her mother, returned by magic from heaven. Though all the facts pointed this to being her mother, she couldn't seem to adjust it in her heart, like the full idea hadn't dropped yet.

      "Mother?" she asked gently, part of her wanting the red haired girl to answer affirmatively, the other wanting to see confusion that Ranma would answer such with.

      The blue eyes suddenly focused on her and a smile opened under them, "Kasumi-chan, you're up early. I didn't wake you did I?"

      "No, I didn't hear you at all. I'm normally up this early."

      Blushing, Kimiko smiled uncomfortably. "I'm sorry Kasumi-chan. I just need to adjust with how grown up and beautiful you all are. I guess I just want my babies back."

      An uncomfortable silence sprung up and Kimiko held up the rolling pin in her hand, running her thumbs along the ridge join of the handles, "For me it was only weeks ago when we bought this, I remember the handles. I remember Nabiki had been cross with me, she thought I should have bought a cheaper one." The red-head looked from the pin to her daughter, "I remember her grumbling till I baked a set of cookies with it and she never said another word, though she had a stomach ache from eating so many of them." She shrugged to herself lightly, her eyes turning inward. "It’s so worn, but I can't imagine it has survived ten years."

      When Kasumi didn't answer, she waved her hand at the dough. "I guess that is why I am making these while breakfast cooks, I want to try and get back those days. Anyway, it is still early, do you want to go and get some more sleep? I'll wake you when the furo is ready if you like?"

      Kasumi smiled uncertainly, obviously uncomfortable with the idea. "No thank you mother, I'll just go and start the laundry."

      "Oh, could you leave them dear. Nodoka promised to show me how to use that new washing machine after breakfast this morning. Go have a sleep-in, I can handle all the chores."

      Kasumi mumbled an acceptance to her mother and in a daze returned up stairs. Undressing and putting on a fresh nightie she slid back into bed, very aware of the light coming in the window, and looked up at the ceiling.

*****

      "That tree was just a sapling, now it's huge."

      Kimiko's voice had lost the edge of surprise that it had when this walk had started but it still held that same wonder that she had when she commented about anything from her old life that had been cut short a decade ago. In this case she was gesturing to a tree in the park, its trunk thick and its leaves a bright green in the spring Sunday.

      Akane hadn't stopped smiling the entire walk, as happy as she ever recalled being as she walked with her sisters, her returned mother, and Aunty Saotome through the streets. A little part of her knew one thing was lacking from making it a perfect day, but then again *he* couldn't say anything to ruin the moment if he wasn't here.

      Her brown eyes narrowed at a couple boys passing them on the street. Another thing ruining the day was that even in a rather plain long brown skirt and pale blouse, from her own and Kasumi's wardrobes respectively, many boys were eyeing her mother far too much.

      Forcing down her ugly thoughts about perverts, and any thoughts about her own absent pervert, she listened to Nabiki telling their mother about the tree and changes to the park that had happened in the last decade. The middle sister had been surprisingly close to their returned mother today, and seemed to going overboard in answering anything Kimiko said or asked. Akane couldn't recall the last time Nabiki had been so helpful without a superior tone in her voice.

      Up ahead, the small shopping mall into view, starting another spiel from Nabiki about how the road had been closed and paved over for pedestrian use only. Seats, trees and a water feature had been added to give a more relaxing and comfortable feel, ‘a statistically proven marketing choice’ the brown haired girl added.

      Being Sunday, several market vendors with trolleys, carts, and yatti dominated the pavers in neat rows and dozens of shoppers moved between shops and booths looking for their needs and wants.

      The party of women from the Tendo Dojo moved through the throngs, Nabiki playing tour guide and warning her Mother in lower tones of who were price gougers and who were quality vendors in the mix.

      A simple summer dress of blue/green cotton caught the blue eyes of Kimiko and she moved over to examine the material beside the doorway to a shop.

      "Is the material all right mother? It seems a bit cheap for any quality..."

      Kimiko gave Nabiki a look with one eyebrow raised that cut her off, "I have bought clothes before Nabiki-chan."

      She glanced around to make sure she had the attention of all three of her daughters before making a shooing motion with her hands, "Away with you. I am not going to shop with all of you hovering around like flies. Nodoka and I will be quite all right for a while by ourselves. Go, enjoy yourselves and we can meet back here and get some lunch after I've seen the hairdresser."

      All three girls looked slightly embarrassed by their mothers order, though Kimiko failed to notice as she glanced again at the bright red coloured hair in the thin length she had hanging loose over her shoulder.

      Looking back at her grown up daughters, the red haired girl looked to Nodoka nervously, "I wasn't too harsh was I?"

      "Not at all Kimiko-chan. Though to tell you the truth I am a little jealous of how the girls want to be so close again. My son, before I knew of the curse, used to be much the same at times."

      Kimiko smiled and nodded back at the elder woman who was quickly becoming a close friend. Her in-attention cost her as a dress she had been returning to the rack failed to catch on the rail and fell to the ground.

*****

      Tatewaki Kuno, the peerless Blue Thunder of Furinken High, strode through the common place market in his home neighbourhood in search of the perfect gift for his two true loves for his upcoming eighteenth birthday. The present he had wanted them to share with him on such a universally special day, the destruction of the demon Saotome, had so far continued to elude his grasp.

      A glimpse of red through the thin crowd of Sunday shoppers attracted his eyes and caused his heart to leap with joy, for he would know that shade of red had he his very own noble eyes been cut out and thrown into the ocean!

      Rushing between stalls and shoppers, he sought his love, the Pigtailed  Girl. Coming upon where he had seen her hair, his eyes swept the area before locking onto the form of a young woman, bent over at the waist to pick up a fallen garment. Though he could not see the girl's hair, he knew who it was, for he would recognise the beautiful round shape of her rear under the brown skirt even had his eyes been cut out and thrown to hell itself!

      For a moment, he would have been content to watch forever when he heard the low wolf whistle from another in the crowd. They were admiring the firm young round cheeks that where his alone to admire!

      Kimiko bent at the waist to retrieve the fallen dress and its hanger when she heard the whistle behind her. She began to rise when suddenly a hand was on her back and someone was standing very close behind her, far far too close inside her personal space.

      "Nay, only those who best myself, Tatewaki Kuno, age seventeen, in combat shall look upon the firm round wonder that the gods have gifted my Pigtailed  Girl, for all others shall suffer hell cast down by my indomitable wrath!" Holding his love to protect her, Kino covered her as best he could, standing in front of her with his body, waving his boken in challenge at all who should dare to look.

      Kimiko was stunned for a moment, by the sudden appearance of the speech spouting martial artist behind her, but when he thrust his hips and he spoke of his wrath, very old instincts took charge.

      "Pervert!"

      *Swoosh*

      *SMACK!!!*

      Kimiko looked at her hand in horror. She had swung around and slapped him faster than she had been able to see. Though she didn't regret slapping him, the almost deafening clap of the impact on his cheek shook her to her soul. Part of her mind wondered in baffled panic at where this strength had come from.

      Suddenly coming to her senses, she ran to where the boy had landed, praying she hadn't hurt him too bad yet fearing she had slapped his whole face in. Reaching his form leaning against the wall, she reached a hand onto his tall shoulder to pull him back and see the damage. "Are you all right? Let me see?"

      The young man in the hakima pants and kimono top seemed to spring back to life turning to face Kimiko in an instant, his hand taking hers. "Of course I am alright my dearest Pigtailed  girl, as if a love tap from your delicate hand could come between us. Please, gaze upon my visage to your hearts content, you have but only ever to ask."

      Holding his head out for a profile that this love may take in, the side that did not show his beloveds slightly stinging greeting, he busied himself by bringing her hand he still held to his lips.

      Kimiko's face showed her horror again as the young man she had feared she had killed bounced back with little more than a growing bruise on his face. As his lips drew close to her skin, she yanked her hand back, away from his mouth but his vice like grip holding on.

      “Let go pervert!” she cried, still backing away, dragging Kuno with her as she strained in vain to free her arm.

      "Nay my love, for I will banish the demons hold over you and you will be free to follow you fondest wish, to with date me!"

      The red haired young woman's eyes popped opened further in panic as Kuno's lips again puckered for a kiss, this time his aim in the lower half of her face. Her terror flowed through her muscles and with a final effort, she tried to yank her hand free again, this time feeling with joy as her slender fingers came through his grip.

      The crowd watched as Kuno lost his grip on her, tragically just as her hand reached a straight armed apex over her body, flinging her paramour over stalls and further into the mall.

      Gulping for breath to overcome her confused panic after inadvertently flinging Kuno away, Kimiko scanned the crowd for Nodoka or her daughters, hoping one of them could explain who that boy... that thing, was.

      Her eyes locked on Mrs Saotome for all of a second before she was slammed into again. She caught a glimpse of something purple gripping around her like a four-armed octopus before a cute Chinese girls face came at her, and hot water came scalding down on her head.

      "Nihoa Airen!" Shampoo cried at what she thought was her female husband from a distance of a few centimetres. "Is beautiful Sunday..."

      The Amazons voice faltered as she realised her man had not turned back into a man with her hot water and was vainly trying to back away from her, the blue eyes showing fear and confusion.

      Had Kimiko been able to think, she might have accepted that there were more scary things around than Kuno. Unfortunately her mind was trapped between the concepts of 'pervert' and 'girl' as she backed up carrying the entwined purple haired woman with her, at least till something hit the back of her legs.

      *Splash*

      Gasping for breath, Kimiko took a long moment to resurface in the low fountain, her body over reacting and simply thrashing in the water as she dealt with panic, drowning, and the tangle of empty clothes suddenly left on her.

      Strong hands suddenly gripped her and lifted her soaking form out of the fountain, as she sputtered and tried to sit up and take breath.

      Sitting up however failed as a hand pushed her back down, a hand right over her right breast!

      Slapping it away here eyes managed to blink out the water and she tried to sit up again, her blood turning cold as she saw him above her.

      "I feel no heartbeat! Do not fear, Pigtailed  one, for I shall give you the kiss of life!" Kuno cried, puckering his lips to kiss life back into his downed goddess.

      "Kuno you idiot!" Akane screamed before charging in and kicking the Kendoist high over the city skyline. "Mom, are you okay?!"

      Kimiko sputtered out some more water as she recovered, hoping this was the end of it, "Yes, I'm fine Akane-chan..."

      "MROW!"

      The purple cat’s cry preceded her pounce as Shampoo-neko angrily leapt at Kimiko, trying to claw her blue eyes out, only to be caught and held by the targets firm grip.

      "What is this?" Kimiko asked looking at the soaked cat, who moments before had been angry and now was wide eyed with surprise, hanging from her grip loosely.

      Akane looked rather evilly at the cat, Shampoo suddenly nervous. "Oh, she must have escaped from the pet store. Here, I'll take her back."

      With a frightened cat cry, Shampoo struggled free, bounding away like lightning as Akane and Nabiki laughed, Kasumi smiling as she gathered up Shampoo's discarded clothes.

      "That, mother, was Shampoo..."

*****

      ‘Mother!’ That word left the short, weedy boy reeling.

      After sleeping well more than overnight since he granted the wish, overwhelmed by the taxing effort of using the mystical tome, he had headed for the Tendo Dojo, only to be horrified by the appearance of the cursed Saotome emerging with the beautiful Akane and her sisters.

      Saotome was in his cursed form and joined by his mother, the five women meandered around the streets towards the mall, the short boy following at a distance. Tragically too far away to listen in, his stomach lurched back and forth as he tried to conceive what had gone wrong with the wish. In the crowds, and with the group splitting up, he managed to get closer, finally hearing Akane after helping Saotome get rid of Upperclassman Kuno, but when she called the red-head ‘mother’!...

      Even his emerging hope from the red-head releasing her hair from a pigtail and the feminine outfit choice signified that Saotome had suddenly become girl form permanently and so couldn’t marry Akane, didn’t come close to somehow making his rival into his desire’s mother.

      His thoughts were interrupted as he realised how close he was, Akane and Nabiki leading the soaked girl away from the fountain, not noticing him, as they discussed Shampoo.

      “…and because of that Shampoo thinks she is Ranma’s wife.”

      Gosenkugi and Kimiko shook their head. “And how does Ranma feel about her? That was more than a friendly hug,” the red-head said in a cool voice.

      The pretty face of her youngest daughter looked flustered, part of her angry but part defensive, neither going anywhere. However her middle daughter just clucked her tongue, “Throwing her body at him hasn’t worked yet. If Ranma wasn’t so hung up on Akane, she might have a chance.”

      “He is NOT hung up on me!” Akane said, starting hotly but faltering fast.

      ”Oh please Sis, now that he is all man, he is so going to be knocking on your door at night.”

      Akane’s heated denials faded from his ears as the weedy boy ran off again for home, wondering how her wish to never have met his rival had cured his rival, and somehow brought her mother back.

*****

      The curtain over the door to Ucchan's Okonomiyaki flowed out of the way as another customer entered. The chef looked up from the sizzling grill stacked with fresh okonomiyaki for the Sunday lunch rush and smiled widely.

      "Ranma-honey, have a seat. One special coming right up."

      Flicking his pigtail over his shoulder, Ranma smiled to his old friend and then at the waitress Konatsu.

      Ukyo could have feinted in delirious surprise from the happy smile her fiancé flashed at her, her thoughts whirled as she wondered what she had done right to have him here so happy. He normally came to her to hide from problems or talk about problems. Her brow furrowed as she busied herself with her work again, wishing the lunch rush would end so she could sit and talk to her fiancé. Idly she looked at Ranma's shirt wondering about the damp patches on the material.

      Ranma was still grinning when Konatsu approached, "May I get you a drink, Ranma-sama?" The kunoichi's feminine voice showed her willingness to help but few in the restaurant realised the beautiful waitress was actual a male.

      Flashing the waitress his brightest smile, he kept his face on her but his eyes angled to see Ukyo's response. "Why yes Natsu-chan," he started, overacting badly. "I would really like a glass of *ice* *cold* water."

      The way Ukyo's face shot up to look quizzically at Ranma just made the pigtailed  boys grin widen, and her confusion showed as he obviously wasn't going to say anything about it and ruin whatever he was building up to.

      With graceful efficiency Konatsu brought out a bottle of water form the fridge and a glass for Ranma.

      "Uh, Ranma-honey, aren't you worried about spilling it on yourself? What with the curse?" Ukyo asked from where she was cooking as he poured the water into the glass.

      "Oh yeah, with my *curse* I have to be careful with *ice* *cold* water like *this* don't I?" All the while Ranma was grinning, and watching not just Ukyo and Konatsu but the other customers as well. When he thought he had most of their attention he cried "Oops!" and spilt the water right up his shirt.

      Ukyo's eyes were the size of dish plates as she looked at her fiancé and many in the restaurant were murmuring at this spectacle, either in confusion over where the curse had gone, or for those who knew nothing of the curse were simply confused.

      "Damn, I am just so clumsy today," Ranma said with a look of false innocence that was as successful as Happosai's version was.

      "Ranma-honey? You're cured?" Ukyo cried with disbelief, ignoring her cooking. At his eager nodding she jumped around the counter to hug him...

      "Mrow!"

      ...And found empty air. Glancing up she saw Ranma hanging in fright from the ceiling. The source of the noise that terrified her fiancé was the small purple cat in the doorway to her shop striding in like she belonged here.

      "What are you...? Never mind, you’re scaring Ranma." Lifting Shampoo-neko up, she moved around and handed the cat to Konatsu, who took her out the back, before washing her hands and getting back to the grill. "S'okay Ranma-honey, she's out the back getting changed."

      Dropping back down, trying to get his breathing and heart rate under control, Ranma retook his stool. "What is she doing here like that?" he asked trying not to think about c-c-c... those kind of pets.

      "Oh, I let her keep clothes here to change back into. Apparently the old letch chases her with a kettle when he sees her like that in the streets." She flipped a couple okonomiyaki to plates and coated the top with sauce and Japanese mayonnaise before passing them to customers. "So how'd ya get cured, Honey?"

      "Shampoo want know too! Where other girl-type Ranma from? She no scared of Shampoo cat!" Shampoo was obviously angry about something that only Ranma seemed to understand as she appeared from out the back, just finishing buttoning up one of her silk pantsuits. Konatsu followed her out, blushing badly and keeping his eyes on the floor except for one glance at Ukyo that just made him blush worse.

      Ranma gave a grin, wondering how a meeting between Shampoo and Mrs Tendo would have gone. "That ain't me, that's Akane's mom."

      Both girls tried to comprehend his meaning as he continued, "Yesterday afternoon I got hit by lightning and bang, I am cured and Mrs Tendo is alive in my girl form."

      "Airen no cursed? Shampoo so happy!"

      Like a purple blur, the Amazon bounced forward to give her all-but-husband a celebratory glomp...

      *THUNK*

      ... And found her path blocked by a huge spatula embedded in the counter, the other side held by the dark haired shop owner glaring at her.

      "Um, Ranma-sama, there was no storm yesterday?" Konatsu asked as he tended the cooking while Ukyo was distracted.

      Ranma shrugged "Yeah, something about Akane wished her mother back."

      "Kitchen-wrecker have magic power?"

      "I don't know, but apparently that was what she did then I was blasted," he replied, somewhat annoyed with Shampoo's name for his fiancé.

      "Ranma-honey, that's brilliant! I'm so proud of you!"

      More than just Shampoo and Ranma looked in confusion at the euphoric face of Ukyo as she rushed forward to hug the stuffing out of him...

      *Smack*

      ... And was held back by a wood handled mop braced in front of her by the steady grip of an angry Amazon. It wasn't a Bonbori but it was the best Shampoo had on short notice.

      "What spatula-girl talk about?"

      Ukyo turned on Shampoo, speaking slowly as if to a child, "Mrs Tendo is in Ranma's girl body making her like Ranma's twin sister. If she gets married to Akane's old man again that stupid promise between Ranma's fat father and her old man is complete. The families will be joined, Ranma won't be forced to marry Akane!"

      Konatsu felt the painful fears of losing any chance with Ukyo growing in his chest, but the look on Ranma's pale face gave him some hope that this wasn't the end of his chances.

*****

      Kasumi smiled nervously, willing down the emotions cascading through her as she and her sisters looked at their returned mother. She joined her sisters as they agreed with her choice in hair cut. On the short red haired girl, the short style came off very well if very different to the fluff and pigtail they were used to. But for the three Tendo sisters it was the same style they had seen her last wearing as children, and Kasumi could see it in her sister’s wet eyes with just a glance.

      The red haired girl smiled happily at her daughters and thanked the hairdresser and soon the four Tendo women and Nodoka stepped back out into the street.

      “You realise Mother, that this will probably freak Daddy out more?” Nabiki drawled, “I thought Ranma was skittish, but he’s got nothing on Daddy.”

      "I managed to convince Soun-chan that I was the best thing that could happen to him before," Kimiko said confidently as they walked, her eyes glazed recalling how Soun had been adamant against marriage while he was under his lecherous martial arts master. "Very soon he'll be dragging me back down the isle."

      The group passed, the Nabiki asking for more details on her plans, leaving in their wake a startled looking child about ten years old. The brown haired little girl wore a loose yellow dress, and currently had her mouth and cheeks all but coated in toffee from a toffee apple in her hands.

      Hinako Ninomiya blinked her wide eyes. 'Soun-chan!' she fumed to herself. The teacher and head disciplinarian of Furinkan High had long held a crush for the eligible widower, Soun Tendo, but his love for his wife was still strong and she was patent enough to wait for him to be ready for his heart to open again. The idea that that delinquent student Ranma Saotome would dare try and swoop in on the sweet yet vulnerable man was unforgivable.

      Fumbling with toffee coated hands for a coin took a moment, as did trying to hold it right with sticky fingers, yet finally she brought out her five yen coin. "Hold delinquent!" she cried, before blinking and realised that the Tendos' and Saotomes' had moved on onto the mall further.

      Fuming again, the little girl began pursuit before pulling herself short. No, this was a time for planning. If Soun was over his wife she needed to set a good impression as she pursued him and stopped these delinquents.

      Meanwhile, running from the market having climbed down from the shop roof across from the hairdresser, a diminutive ninja made his way back to the Kuno mansion. A video camera held tight in his hand.

      'Master Kuno is going to be very upset with what I have found.' Sasuke thought to himself, imagining the words his Master was going to rant and yell when he found out his young red-haired beloved now loved his other beloved's father.

*****

      As dusk settled, a storm flared around the Kuno estate with bright flashes of forked lightning and mighty cracks of thunder, combined with the loud ranting about demons from inside the mansion, that sent the neighbours and animals into hiding.

      One ragged figure of a young man stumbled alone, a red bamboo umbrella in his hand in case rain decided to fall. He looked at the mansion beside him with a small amount of disgust. "Shut up Kuno," the bandanna-wearing boy called out, knowing that he had about as much chance of shutting the nobleman up as he did of curing his curse.

      To his surprise the noise of ranting and storm faded, replaced with a few moments of demented feminine laughter from inside the grounds. Apparently he wasn't the only one fed up with the noise.

      'So I'm back in Nerima again,' Ryoga Hibiki thought to himself. 'Maybe I should try and find Ranma and Akane. I need to find Akari again, maybe they'll help?'

      The boy began to trudge ahead, hoping to stumble over the Dojo home of his friends when a bright light began to shine nearby.

      A street mirror, used to see traffic around the blind corner of a driveway, began to shimmer with light. Then as if the surface was water and not solid glass, two feminine feet began to slide out, followed by legs and a dress of flowing lavender folds. Finally a full woman emerged from the mirror, the glow fading back out, the woman straightening her long light brown hair and lavender dress as her earrings jingled lightly like chimes. Looking up, she surveyed her surrounds, finally returning to the human world after many years, taking in every detail, as her father had wanted.

      "Oh my!" she exclaimed suddenly as she saw Ryoga looking at her surprised. "Uh, hello there, sorry if I surprised you." She blushed lightly at his staring.

      "Uh, yeah hi..." Ryoga said slowly before shaking his head as if to clear it. So she had appeared out of a mirror, so she was floating a few inches off the ground, this was Nerima…

      "Sorry to bother you, but would you know where I might find the..."

      "Tendo Dojo?" Ryoga asked with a rather resigned sigh, once again glancing at how she hovered off the ground.

      "Yes, how did you know?"

      "A guess," Ryoga frowned slightly, "You’re not here to marry Ranma are you?"

      Belldandy frowned in confusion and shook her head gently, "No, I am here looking for an accident that happened. I don't know any Ranma I'm afraid, does he live at the Dojo?" Her brow furrowed cutely as she looked down at her legs, "Is something wrong?"

      Blushing at being called on his staring, Ryoga shook his head, "I, err, it's just the floating is a bit weird."

      The foreign woman blinked, blushing lightly in embarrassment. She hadn't thought of how no one else seems to do that in the mortal world. Landing gently, she smiled in thanks. "My name is Belldandy."

      Blushing again at being smiled at by a pretty girl, Ryoga nodded, "Hi, I'm Ryoga Hibiki. Er, the Dojo is this way."

      With a gentle smile, Belldandy fell into step beside Ryoga as he led them out of Nerima...

To be continued,

Special thanks to MwhaleK, Paul Henkel, Rosedreams, Jamison Whithehead, Wheedle1, tendoakane3, and Sakurabana for proof reading and plot inspiring.

Thank you for reading.

Trent O'Donoghue
[email protected]
http://www.geocities.com/odonoghuet/index.html