HERE WE GO AGAIN - a Ranma 1/2 Fanfic (continuation)
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Don't sue me, OK? I don't own these, Rumiko Takahashi and Viz do.

***

Chapter 3: Full Circle?
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(a week has passed since Chapter 2)

"Ranma! Akane! Quick, he's awake!"  Ryouga's cry echoed through the Tendo's
house.  Ranma bolted up the stairs to Tenno's room, Akane hot on his heels.

Tenno lay in the bed, being carefully fed some soup by Kasumi.  He was very
pale, and he seemed to be one large bruise. They could hear him weakly thank
Kasumi.  Ryouga stood there with an idiotic grin on his face.

Akane burst into the room, and beamed when she saw Tenno.  "Tenno, you jerk.
You had us worried." Kasumi finished feeding him and got up to leave.

"He's very weak," she said.  "Please don't tire him out."

Ranma and Akane nodded.  They went to the bed and sat by its side.  Ryouga
smiled at his friend and left, saying something about telling Ukyou.

"How are you feeling?" Akane asked him.

"Tired.  Confused.  How'd I get like this?"  Tenno seemed very worried.
"What happened to me?"

Akane and Ranma exchanged a glance.  "Tenno..think back to the day we went
to talk to Shampoo.  What's the last thing you remember?"

Tenno frowned.  "We were going to deal with Shampoo.  Ranma saw Nabiki and
Kasumi, and asked me to take care of them."  His eyes widened and he went
even more pale.  He sat up.  "Nabiki, on the ground, covered in blood.  Oh
GOD, there was so much blood.  And then pure rage."  He began to sob, and
hid his face in his hands.  "She's dead!  Oh no, Nabiki's dead!" he cried.
"I did it, didn't I?" he demanded.  "I went berzerk and did something
horrible.  I really am a monster!"  A wordless cry tore from his throat, and
then he whispered, "Oh Nabiki, why did you believe in me?"

Akane grabbed his hands tightly.  "NO!  Tenno, Nabiki's alive.  She's not
dead, Tenno.  You did nothing wrong."

Ranma's hands covered Akane's.  "Tenno, I'm not gonna lie to you.  You went
berzerk, all right.  You trashed the old ghoul.  You humiliated her.  But
you've got nothing to regret.  If you hadn't done what you did, I don't know
what might have happened.  You never were, are not, and never will be a
monster, Tenno."

Tenno looked up at his friends.  "She's alive?  Oh, thank god," he said.  He
smiled, and then he fell back to the pillows, his eyes closed.  Akane cried
out in concern.  Ranma yelled for Kasumi.

Kasumi burst in and pulled them away from the ravaged young man.  She
examined him closely, and relaxed.  "He's just asleep.  You tired him out,"
she accused.  She put her hand on Tenno's cheek and smiled.  "He's sleeping
better now.  I think that you did him a great deal of good."  Akane cried
into Ranma's shoulder in relief.  Kasumi herded them out of the room.

As she herself left, she turned back and smiled sadly.  "Such a great heart,
and so much pain.  I wonder how he can survive it."  She exited the room and
quietly closed the door.

***

Over the next days, Tenno slept a great deal.  Kasumi and the rest of the
family spent a great deal of time both at the hospital visiting Nabiki and
at home, caring for Tenno.  The horrors of the fight with Shampoo and
Cologne faded for everyone.  Except Tenno.  He was soon up and about, and
regained his vitality quickly. He seemed to become obsessed with training
himself, and the time he didn't spend visiting Nabiki was almost always
spent in some form of training.

It was a sunny afternoon.  Tenno was being chased around the yard trying to
avoid being pummeled by Akane.  Ryouga and Ranma watched, giving the two of
them tips.  "Tenno, you're overextending.  You want to hit her, not put your
fist through her."  Ranma called out.  "And don't hurt him, Akane!"

Their session was interrupted by the sound of the front bell and Kasumi's
voice. "Why hello, Shampoo!"

"Nihao!  Where Ryouga?"

Ryouga paled, and frantically looked for a place to hide.

"He's out here, Shampoo-hey!" Ranma called as he dodged a punch from Ryouga.

"Raaanmmaaa, I'll get you for that!" He began to chase after Ranma, who
laughed and dodged.  Thus, as Shampoo skipped into the yard she was greeted
by the sight of a laughing Ranma dodging and weaving as his friend tried to
pummel him into the dirt.

Shampoo saw something fly towards her and leapt out of the way as a sweaty,
exausted Tenno thudded into the ground where she was standing.  He groaned,
got up, and saw her.  "Oh, hi, Shampoo.  No one here but us punching bags."

"Nihao, Tenno," she greeted him.  "You need attack more.  You no can dodge
forever.  You rest more, too.  You no look so good."

Tenno sighed.  "So they keep on telling me." He shook his head. "And they
called this training."  Akane walked up to them.

"That's enough, Tenno. A fly could take you out, you're so exhausted."  She
looked at Shampoo warily. "Shampoo."

"Nihao, Akane.  Shampoo no want kill anymore.  We be friends, OK?" she
beamed at a shocked Akane, and looked at Ryouga, who was still chasing Ranma
around the yard.  "Why Ryouga attack Ranma?"

Akane laughed.  "Inside joke, Shampoo." She turned to the two boys.
"Raaanmmaa!  Stop picking on Ryouga!"

Ranma dodged another swipe and laughed.  "Hey, he attacked ME!  It's not my
fault he can't take a jo-hey!"  Ryouga tackled Ranma and they both went
flying into the koi pond.  Onna-Ranma thrashed her way to her feet and spat
water.  "Damnit, I why do I always end up in this pond?" she said,
disgusted.

Onna-Ryouga crawled out of the pond.  "Is it just me or are we magnets for
water?" Shampoo ran up to her and helped her up.

"Nihao, Ryouga!  You go on date with Shampoo?" she asked her, throwing her
arms around Onna-Ryouga's waist and hugging him.

"Uhh..well..you...see..er.." Ryouga sputtered.  Onna-Ranma and Akane shared
an amused glance.

"Sorry, Shampoo, I need Ryouga this afternoon," Tenno said as he collapsed
to the ground.  "We're moving into my new place."

Ryouga tired to scowl at Tenno and give him a look of thanks at the same
time. She tried to extract herself from Shampoo's embrace.  "I don't like
this, Tenno.  I already have a home."

"Which it would take you years to find, which is miles away from the school,
which is miles away from here," Ranma retorted. "Ryouga, don't
be an idiot.  Besides, this way you can go to school at Furinken."

Onna-Ryouga still scowled.  "Just think of yourself as a permanent house
guest," Tenno grinned.  "Count your blessings.  If I had a daughter, I might
engage you to her."  Ryouga started at that, and then grinned back. Her grin
faded as a thought occured to her.  One that she didn't like.

"School?  Since when am I going to school?" she asked.

Tenno peered back at Onna-Ryouga as she climbed out of the pond.  "Why not?"

Ryouga grimaced.  "When you get lost for days or weeks at a time, it's hard
to keep up on an education. I'd be so far behind."

Onna-Ranma patted her friend's shoulder.  "Don't worry about it, man.  We'll
help you out."  She grinned wickedly at Tenno.  "That'll be four of us in
one class, you know."

Tenno put his face in his hands and groaned.  "Why do I get myself into
these things?"

***

Ryouga and Tenno sat on the roof of their new home, staring at the stars.
"Clear night," Tenno commented.  Ryouga sighed.

"What am I going to do about Shampoo, Tenno?  The last thing I wanted was
for her to trade me for Ranma.  I don't care for her that way, but I don't
want to hurt her."

Tenno sighed.  He was thinking much the same thing.  "I don't know.  Ranma
thinks you're stuck with her until Mousse grabs a backbone.  Shampoo's a
very strong woman, Ryouga.  She thinks she needs a husband stonger than her.
Akane thinks she cares about Mousse, but Mousse is too infatuated to fight
her and win her."  He was silent for a moment.  "I think she was more hurt
by what happened that one day than she'll let on.  She's out from under her
grandmother's control, but still thinks she needs to honor her grandmother's
wishes in some way.  You're strong like Ranma, and are as good a match in
her mind."

He stood up.  "I'm sorry Ryouga, but despite what everyone seems to think, I
don't have all the answers.  Go ask Kasumi." He started to climb back into
their window.  "I'm going to sleep, I want to visit Nabiki tommorow."  He
stopped. "I really am sorry, Ryouga. I wish I could help."  He disappeared.

Ryouga gazed at the where his friend had last been.  "You already did," he
whispered.  He stargazed for a few more minutes, then returned to their
room.

***

Nabiki was beyond displeased.  She was irritated.  She was stuck in this
hospital, running up a huge bill her family couldn't afford, and no one
would let her go home. She scowled at Akane. "I want to go home, damnit.  We
can't afford this, the food stinks, and I'm bored!"

"Hmm. She's complaining, I'd say she's getting better," laughed Tenno as he
came into her room, a bouquet in his arms.  Akane giggled.  The room looked
like a greenhouse, it was covered in flowers.  Nabiki's scowl disappeared
into a smile. "If the doctor says it's OK, Nabiki, I'll carry you home
myself."  Nabiki brightened and started stabbing at the nurse button.

"Good, the nurse can get the doctor, he'll release me, and we can go."  She
glared at the nurse who walked in the room.  "Get me the doctor, damn it, I
want to go home!"

The nurse sighed and nodded, leaving the room, and soon after, the doctor
showed up.  He shooed Akane and Tenno out the room.  A few minutes later, he
let them back inside.  He was shaking his head in wonder.  "If I didn't see
it before me, I'd call it impossible.  She walks in with a wound that should
have killed her in seconds, and makes a recovery in an impossibly short
time.  Are you sure you're not a martial artist?" he asked Nabiki testily,
then sighed. "You, young lady, can go home.  But I expect you to rest and
not use that arm.  Now go, you're so disgustingly healthy you're giving me a
headache."  Akane and Nabiki cheered.

The doctor turned to leave, but stopped to look over Tenno.  "And you, young
man, I expect you to keep her out  of trouble."  Tenno nodded solemnly.
"And get some rest yourself.  You look like death warmed over."  Tenno
blushed. It would be weeks before all the bruises disappeared.

The trio exited the hospital in high spirits.  Nabiki scowled at the cab
waiting for them.  Akane openned the door and Tenno helped Nabiki inside.
"Not a word," Akane ordered.  "I'm not about to let you walk home."  Nabiki
sighed.

Nabiki's homecoming was marked by the usual events.  Kasumi's calm, warm
welcome, Ranma and his father's offhand greeting, her father's tears.  Tenno
carried her up to her room despite her protests, and laid her out on the
bed.

Her father and Akane tried to enter, but Kasumi stopped them.  "Leave them
alone," she said with suprising force and closed the door.

Silence filled the room.  Tenno shuffled his feet as he tried to get past
the lump in his throat. Nabiki gazed at the young man before her
appraisingly.  She saw him for a moment as others did.  Here was a tall,
handsome caring young man. She remembered the young man who told a story
that touched her heart in a way she thought would never happen.  The man who
destroyed people's dreams for a cure, but tried to help how he could.  The
man who made her do things she never dreamed of doing for another.  Who
finally got her stupid sister and that idiot Ranma to admit their love.

The man who exploded in rage and anger when he thought she died.

The man SHE loved.

"Nabiki, when I first met you, you were the only one in this house who
didn't seem to be insane in some way.  I was so amazed. There you were, a
girl who was so achingly beautiful, who had seen so much pain, but who could
still laugh.  But I didn't fall for you until that one day.  Do you
remember?  When Ranma's father told me what I was?"  Nabiki nodded, her eyes
wide.  "I was so horrified. One moment I was just a freak, the next, I found
out I was some killing machine AND a freak.  Ranma and the others tried to
console me, but what you said is what really helped. 'You're not  a monster,
Tenno.  I would never do this for a monster.  Believe it.'"

He fell silent.  "I was stunned.  It never occured to me you did that FOR
me. For ME." He fell silent again. "That was when I realized I loved you."
Nabiki didn't say a word.  He looked at her and smiled sadly.  "The day of
that fight, when I saw you on the ground, covered in blood, all I felt was
pain.  And anger.  I was supposed to protect you, and I failed.  All I
wanted to do was kill something.  To kill myself."  He looked at his hands.
"They told me you stopped me from killing that old woman.  That you brought
me out of the rage.  I don't know how to thank you."  He paused.  "I don't
deserve someone like you.  I'd understand if you're horrified, or afraid.
If you want me to go, I will.  But...I need you, Tendo Nabiki, and..."  He
stopped, and looked at the ground.  "I love you."

"Tenno...."  He looked up, eyes full of hope.  Nabiki was smiling, tears
streaming down her face.  "I'd never be horrified or afraid of you.  I could
never feel those things for the man I love."  She took his hands.  "Tenno,
the day of the...accident, when I fell, I knew I was going to die.  I felt
so alone.  And then I felt you touch me and I felt so much love and pain
from you.  I knew you were going to snap then, and fought to stay alive.
When Ranma came out, and said you were going to kill that evil old woman, I
just had to stop you. I fought myself awake, and convinced my sisters to
take me to you.  It was the hardest thing I ever did, Tenno.  When I saw
you, I almost died.  You were radiating pain and sorrow.  For me.  I think I
admitted it then."  She squeezed his hands tighter, and held them to her
heart.  "I thought I'd never need anyone, Tenno, but I do.  I need YOU.  I
need someone to love me as completely as you do.  Never forget that I love
you."  She dropped his hands, took his face, and kissed him.

All the fear in Tenno was eclipsed by joy.  He kissed Nabiki back, and held
her gently.  They sat silently for a while.  Nabiki started to giggle.  "I
thought I'd never fall in love, and here I am." She looked up at Tenno.
"You're not like other men.  I never believed I would fall for someone that
way.  I'm glad I did."  She gasped. "Oh, no, what am I going to tell
Father?"

Tenno stiffened, then relaxed.  "The truth.  Always the truth."  Nabiki
sighed, and relaxed in his arms.

Tenno held Nabiki as she fell asleep.  She held her a little while longer,
then laid her back to rest.  He stood up to leave the room.  "I love you,
Tendo Nabiki,"  he said as he closed the door.

***

The others watched as Tenno walked down the stairs and sat in front of Soun
Tendo. He seemed to be at peace with himself.  "Mr. Tendo?"  Tendo looked up
from his game, and stared at the solemn young man beside him.  "There is
something you should know,"  Tenno said softly.  Soun remained silent.  "Mr.
Tendo, I love your daughter Nabiki.  I know we're young.  But I'd like your
permission to court her."  Tendo appraised Tenno carefully.

"Tenno, my boy, you have my permission."  He paused, and smiled indulgently.
"But don't you think you should have asked me before you two fell in love?"
Tears were streaming down his face, yet he was smiling.

Tenno smiled ruefully.  "I don't think we planned it this way."  Tendo
nodded, and clasped his shoulder.

"Don't worry, son, it'll work out.  Go, they're waiting for you."  He gently
pushed the young man towards the table.  "He'll make a fine husband for
her," he remarked softly to Genma, who nodded.

Tenno went and sat at the table where Ranma, Akane, and Ryouga sat.  Akane
and Ranma shared an amused glance. "See, I told you he was special.  Just
over a month, Ranma, and he's already fallen in love."  Akane said softly,
as Tenno blushed. Ryouga sighed breathily.

"So what's up?" Tenno asked as his face burned.

"We were talking about Kodachi," Ryouga explained, while Tenno sighed.
Ryouga nodded.

Ranma shuddered.  "She's a fruitcake.  As much as Kuno.  No, she's a bigger
fruitcake. I don't think anything will make her give me up."  Ryouga looked
at Akane, who nodded.  The two of them grabbed Ranma and toosed him out the
back door into the pool.  "HEY!  What'd ya do that for?!"

"Try to control your ego, Ranma," Akane called to him.

"Listen, you uncute tomboy, it's not my fault she's enamored with me!"
Onna-Ranma yelled back.

"Enamored with you?!  ENAMORED WITH YOU?!?!  RAAAANMMAAA!"  she grabbed a
hammer and ran out to the yard.  "Stand still!"

Ryouga and Tenno watched the two lovers for a few minutes.  "Come on Ryouga,
I start work tommorow, and you start school."

Ryouga nodded.  He stood up and shook his head.  "Some things never change."

The two walked to the street together.  "Hey, Ryouga, do you think Akane
could teach me that trick with the hammer?  I mean, pulling weapons out of
thin air might be a useful skill."

"I don't know, Tenno, it seems to be her specialy," he considered.  "I'm
betting being mad at Ranma is probably a requirement, though."

"I hope Nabiki can't do that," Tenno said.

Ryouga chuckled.  "You don't know what you got yourself into," he told
Tenno.

***

Tenno, Nabiki, Ryouga, and Akane walked to the school, while Ranma capered
on the fence that ran alongside the patch.  "Why does he do that?" Tenno
asked, indicating Ranma.

"He's a show-off."  The other three chorused.  Ranma stopped and gave them a
glare as he jumped down beside Akane.

"It's balance training!" he protested as the others laughed.

They walked on for a minute in silence.  A car drove through a puddle,
splashing the group.  Tenno, Ryouga, and Ranma stopped and looked at their
now-female bodies, disgusted.

"Oh, hell," Onna-Ryouga cursed.

"They had to find out sometime," Nabiki pointed out.

"Yeah, but on the first day?" Onna-Tenno complained.  Akane glanced at her
watch.

"We're gonna be late!" she cried, grabbing Onna-Tenno's hand and dragging
her off at a run.  "Come on!  Ranma, help Nabiki!"  Onna-Ranma scooped up
Akane's sister and ran after her.

"Hey!  Wait up!"  Onna-Ryouga yelled, chasing after the four.

They made it to the yard well before the bell rang.  A crowd soon formed.

"Hey, who are those two hot babes with Ranma?"

"Probably two more fiancees!"

"Hey, they're cute!"

"What are you doing Friday night, baby?"

"Eww, they're dressed like boys."

"HOLD, miscreants!"

Those last words silenced the crowd and it parted, revealing Kuno.  He was
dressed in his usual kendo uniform, holding a practice sword.  "Accost not
these fair maidens!"

Tenno bent her head to Nabiki's ear. "Kuno?"  Nabiki nodded.  "I see."

"Tendo Akane and the pig-tailed girl!  You have come to me!  Yet, I see two
more beauteous creatures worthy of the great Kuno!  Allow me to intoduce
myself.  "I am Kuno Tatewaki, the Blue Thunder of Furinken High!  I
challenge each of you! If you defeat me, I shall allow you to go out with
me!"

The crowd began to murmer again.

"Kuno's gonna get clobbered again!"

"Hey, Nabiki, you taking bets?"

"Why bother, you know Ranma's just going to knock him into the next time
zone anyway."

"I'd say Akane hits him first."

"I don't know, that tall one looks like she's a martial artist too!"

"Yeah, look at those bruises!"

Ranma merely walked up, avoided Kuno's swing, and slammed him into the
ground.  "Come on, guys, lets go find some hot water," she said, heading
into the school.

***

Tenno's day was NOT going well.  He was used to American-style teaching, and
the method that the Principal instructed him in just wasn't working for him.
Not to mention that in practically every class he had to send a half-dozen
students into the hall, including Ranma and Akane.  When lunch period
arrived, he was giddy with relief.  He found Ryouga and quickly they made
their way outside.

Once there they were pleasantly suprised to see Ukyou had set up her
okonomiyaki cart and was doing business.  Tenno bought, and the two sat down
under one of the few trees in the yard.  "Hey, guys! How's your first day
going?"  Ranma asked, running up to them.  Tenno grimaced, and Ryouga
beamed.

"It's great!" Ryouga replied.  "I forgot how much fun school is."

Tenno gave him a disgusted look, and sighed, shrugging his shoulders.  "I'm
having trouble," he admitted and smiled at Akane as she walked up.
"Principal Kuno gave me some instructions on Japanese teaching methods, but
I'm really uncomfortable."  Ranma and Akane exchanged a look.

"So that explains what you were doing," Ranma said.  "We were wondering.
Ignore Principal Kuno, he's as nutty as his children.  Just teach any way
you like."  Tenno nodded and sighed.

"Man, I hated school when I was a student, now I'm a teacher," he grumbled.
"There's just no justice in the world."  The others started to laugh, and
soon he joined in.

Their laughter was interrupted by another's.  "HOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO!!!  Oh,
Ranma darling!"  Kodachi stood on the roof of the school.  She twirled and
jumped in her black leotard, her ribbon whipping through the air around her.
Akane started to glow blue, and picked up a rock the size of a cabbage.  She
threw the rock at Kodachi, who dodged. "Stupid gi-urk," Kodachi sang, but
was interrupted as she failed to dodge the second rock Akane had thrown.
Kodachi lost her balance and started to fall...off the building.  Someone
screamed.

Tenno swore and started to lept forward, hoping the girl wouldn't die from
the fall.  As he ran forward, he was smashed to the ground as someone used
him as a stepping stone.  Tenno shook his head and got up, and was treated
to a rare sight.  Ryouga stood like a statue, having caught Kodachi.
Kodachi, stunned, hugged her savior.  "Oh, sir, thank you!  I was so
scared!"

Ranma ran up and stopped, stunned, as he realized what had happened.  "Oh,
no.  Not Ryouga," he groaned.

Kodachi leapt from Ryouga's arms.  "Ranma darling!  Do not be angry, I love
you both!  Farewell!  HOHOHOHOHOHOHOHOHO!!!!" She whirled, and black rose
petals flew through the air.  When they settled, she was gone.

Akane ran up.  "What happened?" she asked.  Ranma filled her in, while
Ryouga still stood like a statue.  "Oh, poor Ryouga," she sighed.  Her eyes
narrowed.  Ranma began to laugh.  She whirled on him.  "It's not funny."
Ranma laughed harder.  "Raaaannnmaaaa..."

"W..wait," Ranma gasped.  He indicated for Akane to come closer and
whispered.  "Kodachi and  Shampoo are both after him now.  Ukyou likes him,
probably more than she'll admit.  Sound familiar?" Akane's eyes widened and
she began to laugh weakly.

Tenno walked up to Ryouga, who still stood like a statue.  "Ryouga?" He
ventured.  No response.  He waved his hand in front to Ryouga's face, then
shook him.  "HEY!  RYOUGA!  WAKE UP!"  He turned to Akane and Ranma.  "He's
out of it.  What's going on?"

As the giggling Akane and Ranma explained what was going on.  Tenno groaned,
and put his face in his hands.  "I give up," he said, and then he too began
to laugh.

End Chapter 3

--
Christopher "God-boy" Angel
c_j_angel@hotmail.com
http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Pagoda/7040/
"I'm your worst nightmare - a manga
nut with a power ring."  Green Lantern