Standard disclaimer type thingy: All characters portrayed below belong to their creator, the divine Ms Takahashi-sama, and to those companies which produce the manga, anime, and US subs/dubs. This is just fanfiction, intended for enjoyment, so please don't sue me, I have no money. Overload A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction By Valandar the Red "I gotta go faster, I gotta get faster, must be faster!" The sound of rolling thunder from the Tendou Dojo was not thunder. A stranger to Nerima would be amazed to find out that the sound was a seventeen year old boy punching a steel-reenforced dummy. Each impact hit before the shockwaves had finished rolling out from the one before. He kept up the steady stream of rapid fire strikes for ten, then fifteen minutes. Slowly, the deep hum of the vibrating dummy rose in pitch, until hit hit the right - or wrong - tone. The glass over the picture of the Tendou family, hanging in the corner, shattered. Distracted by that noise, he stopped. Seeing the splinters of glass, he sighed. "Great. And I know Nabiki is gonna charge me for it. Well, might as well go in to face the music." Stepping carefully around the broken glass, he walked into the house."Hello, Ranma," said Kasumi, "did you have a nice workout?" "Um, well, I sorta broke the glass on the picture in the corner. Ya gotta broom?" Kasumi smiled. "Of course, Ranma. I'll go get it, and the dustpan, too." Ranma took a deep breath, and let it out. He wandered over to one of the cushions in front of the television, and plopped down. Reaching for the remote control, he switched on the boob tube, and let its inane chattering buzz in the back of his mind. Ryouga had developed a new technique that used chi to slow down an opponant, so they fought like they were trying to force their way through tar. He had to speed up, to overcome that effect, or their next match might be his last. Why couldn't Akane see that the pig-boy was really trying to kill him? She always made it sound like his fault. "Well, you've done it again, boy wonder," came the dry voice he had been expecting. He sighed. "Okay, how much do I owe you?" he asked. Nabiki broke out her abacus. "Well, do you want to pay cash, or add the glass to you quite substantial tab?" Ranma didn't respond. "Then I guess that means that it's added to your tab. When are you going to get around to paying it, anyway?" She glanced up from her abacus to see his reaction, which should be pretty good. She immediately realized that he hadn't answered because he couldn't. He was currently passed out, head lolling off the back of the cushion. "Oh, no, Ranma, you're not getting out of it that easy." She walked over to him, and shook him. He didn't wake. She grabbed a glass of water, and splashed him, an act that had never failed. He still didn't wake. In fact, she realized he was as limp as could be. She grew nervous. She rubbed her hands for a second, then lowered two trembling fingers to the side of his throat. She was no Doctor Tofu, but she could tell his pulse was very faint, and very, very slow. "Kasumi!" The eldest Tendou sister was entering the room at that moment, with a broom and dustpan. "Yes, Nabiki?" "Quick, call...scratch that, have Akane call Doctor Tofu immediately! Something's happened to Ranma!" ******************** The family was gathered outside the guest room, Genma in human form for a change. Akane was slumped next to the door, desparately trying to convince herself that it wasn't anything serious. Nabiki and Kasumi showed outward calm, but for their own, quite different reasons, and their father was erupting into bucketfuls of tears. Inside the room, Doctor Tofu was speaking to Nodoka, over the still form of her comatose son. "To be totally honest, I have no idea what is happening to him. His pulse is weak, and slow, but steady. His breathing is also slow, and I cannot get any reflex reactions. Even his pupils do not react to stimulus. I'm going to have to call in someone who might know more about this than me - but some of the members of this household might not appreciate her presence." Nodoka nodded. "Whatever it takes to help my son. I shall inform the others." Her back was as straight as it had ever been, as if physical discipline could ease the burden on her spirit. She breathed in, deeply, and exhaled as she left the room. After relaying the doctor's news, she shepherded the family downstairs. Taking Kasumi with her, she went into the kitchen, ostensibly to prepare lunch for them. However, she also brought Kasumi there so her presence would not send Doctor Tofu into his usual fits of mania. "I wonder who the good doctor would call that some of us wouldn't like?" mused Genma. "Do you have any ideas, Tendou?" "WAAAAAHHHHHHHH! Now our schools will never be joined! WAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" It was obvious that Soun had not heard a word spoken to him since he was first told about Ranma's state. "Er, um, yes, Tendou, well, have faith! This little coma can't keep my boy down for long! Ha ha ha ha!" He slapped his friend on the back, only to be rewarded with more tears. Akane sat next to Nabiki, her face showing the worry she would not admit to herself. "I don't know, Nabiki, this is Ranma. What could do this to him?" Nabiki, having regained her composure since earlier in the morning, eyed her critically. "It could be repeated blows to the head." Akane looked at her sister in horror. "But... you don't mean that I... well..." Nabiki sighed. "No, Akane, I wasn't serious. But you do hit him a lot." Akane snorted. "I only do it when he deserves it." "Like when Shampoo latches on to him, or Ryouga attacks him, or P-chan starts biting him on the ankle?" "You mean when he doesn't try to push her away, or when he picks on Ryouga or P-chan?" "Whatever. See it how you want." There was a knock on the door. Nabiki stood, and walked over to answer it. "Oh. So you're the expert that Doctor Tofu called." She knew better than to let the disgust she felt show on her face. "Yes, child, I am. I do not know why he called me, unless it was on an instinct. If that is so, then I commend him." Cologne bowed, ever so slightly. "May I enter your home in this time of trial?" Nabiki hesitated for a second or two, then returned the bow, and let her in. "If you can help him, then yes. Just remember - no calling him 'son-in-law' in this house. Only 'Ranma'." "Very well, child." She walked into the main room, instead of hopping on her cane. She was greeted with a couple of gasps, and at least one glare. "Where is he?" she asked Akane. She didn't let her gaze waver for a second, all the while hoping the hate she felt would strike the amazon matriarch down. Choking down her pride for Ranma's sake, she answered. "I'll take you to him. But I'm not going to let you alone with him, not after what you drove Shampoo to do at my wedding last month." Cologne returned her gaze, but without the rancor. "I understand. I just wish you would realize that what she did was not something I condone. She is being punished for her actions, I assure you." The youngest Tendou daughter merely turned on her heel, and began stomping upstairs. Cologne glanced at the two fathers, and the pails set up to catch Soun's tears, then followed. Akane carefully opened the door to the room Ranma shared with his father, and walked up to his futon. "D-doctor Tofu? Cologne is here." If the good doctor heard the venom with which Akane laced the name, he had the presence of mind to pretend not to. "Good, bring her in." ******************** The Tendou family was once more gathered, this time with Nodoka present. Doctor Tofu was still in Ranma's room, and Cologne stood halfway up the stairs, the better to get their attention. "Good people, I have news that may be good, but may be terrible." Soun, whose tears had finally ended, asked, "I don't understand, how could it be both good and bad?" She looked straight at him, though she addressed the whole family. "When a fighter's physical speed becomes greater than his mind can handle, he enters a state of being that can be quite dangerous. He must face those things that block his thoughts, concepts he does not understand, and feelings he cannot reconcile. If he manages to overcome these obstacles, he ends up greater than he was before." "What if he doesn't?" queried the youngest Tendou daughter. The amazon matriarch closed her eyes for a second, then looked at the family as a whole. "The last fighter I knew of who reached this level was Jun Fan - the man known in the movies as Bruce Lee. He could not overcome his obstacles." Nodoka stepped behind Akane, and gripped her shoulder. "Then...?" "Yes. He will die. His mind will simply shut down, overloaded." Quiet descended over the house. Each one there held thoughts close to their minds, not daring to be the first to venture a doubt. That is, until Soun once again erupted into tears. "Waahhh, not only will our families never be joined, but the greatest martial artist of his generation will be cut down in his prime! Waaaahhh, oh, the humanity! WAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" Nodoka, still firmly holding onto the shoulder of her son's fiancee, stepped around the human fire hydrant, and began to walk upstairs. With a respectful bow to Cologne, one that was returned, she led the young girl to Ranma's room. ******************** "Where am I?" "Inside yourself." "Why am I here?" "You know why you are here." "Who are you?" "I am you. The you as you percieve yourself." "And I am the you as others percieve you." "Why are you here?" "For you." "If you are me as I percieve me, and you are me as others percieve me, then who am I?" "You are the real you. That is all that need be said." "I thought I was as I percieved myself." "No. You lie to yourself too much." "How can I lie to myself? I know the truth about me." "No. You know deep within, but you refuse to accept the truth. You put off facing what is true, and you cannot do that anymore." "Why not?" "Because if you do, you will die." Images of a cute girl, with short, black hair, shining eyes, a brilliant smile, and a Furinkan High School uniform blazed into being in the darkness. It was followed by a woman more than twice her age, with slightly longer, wavy brown hair, in a traditional kimono,and with a blanket-wrapped sword on her back. Other images flashed back and forth, including a stocky, bald man whose image flashed back and forth with that of a panda. A girl with long, brown hair, and a warm smile, wearing an apron appeared behind the older woman. Another cute girl with long hair, and a giant spatula strapped to her back, stood behind the cute girl with short hair. In the back stood a young man, in a dirty yellow shirt, dark brown trousers, ans a tiger-striped bandanna, whose image shifted to that of a small, black piglet. Others flashed back and forth, images of those he cared about as family, friends, rivals, and...otherwise. "What will happen to them if I die?" "Most will go on. Some will not know what to do. And at least one will find death, as well." "Who?" "I don't know. I am basing this on your own knowledge of them. It is likely that at least one will prefer ending his or her own life, than to face life without a fiance...or a friend...or a rival." The people faded, and Ranma saw himself. He looked down, and saw he was shifting back and forth, between male and female. The first voice, his self- image, was male, and slightly more muscular than he was in real life. The second voice, how others saw him, was female, and much taller than she was in real life. Self-Image looked at him. "You have already resolved the simpler obstacles before you became aware of this state. Ryouga, Kasumi, your mother, even your father. But there are three you must resolve, or you will die." "Who?" he asked, though he already knew the answer. "Shampoo, Ukyou, and Akane." ******************** Doctor Tofu looked up as the door opened. "Akane. There's been a change while Cologne was explaining things to you." He reached up, and rubbed his forehead. "His eyes started moving. He may be in a state of r.e.m. - the part of sleep that equates to dreaming." "Is...is that a good sign?" Her eyes pleaded with him to say that it was. He hardened himself; he had to, after all. "Actually, it means that he has reached the most crucial point. He is directly confronting his greatest troubles. This could take a few minutes - or a few hours. Time is funny, to the dreaming mind." "Can I stay with him?" she asked, keeping the tears from her eyes. He paused only for a second. "Yes. I'll leave you here, I understand K-k-k-Kasumi has lunch ready, hee-hee!" As he bounced out the door, Nodoka's hand reached up, and snatched his glasses off his face. The doctor blinked for a few seconds, then glanced at Ranma's mother. She nodded, and put his glasses in the sleeve of her kimono. Confused, he continued downstairs. Akane looked at the older woman. "What was that for, Auntie Nodoka?" "Call it a hunch. You stay here, I'll be back." She backed out of the room, and closed the door. Kneeling next to the futon, and Ranma's unconscious form, Akane looked at him. He was in male form, because Kasumi had the foresight to protect his dignity before the doctor arived. "Please, Ranma. Please wake up. Wake up for me." ******************** An image of a purple-haired girl appeared between the three Ranmas. She was in a Chinese dress, holding her bonbori in a ready stance. "Shampoo," said the true Ranma. "How do you feel about her," asked the other two Ranmas in unison. "I'm angry! She attacked my wedding, and could have hurt my mother!" "That is how you feel about her actions. It is not how you feel about her," said Self-Image. "Do you love her?" asked Other's-Image "No! She's always glomping me, or trying to give me passion spice, or attacking Akane, or..." "Do you love her?" asked Self-Image. "No...she only follows me around because I knocked her out. And that was an accident!" "But you fought to keep her attentions when she wore the reversal jewel." "That was - that was because I thought...I thought she hated me." "If you don't love her, then why do you care what she thinks of you?" "Because...maybe I do kinda like her." "Is this why you're so angry with her over the wedding?" asked Other's-Image. "Well, yeah. And, I know Mother wouldn't have gotten hurt. Those bombs were just firecrackers. But she didn't even ask me! She didn't find out if I wanted to get married before she took it on herself to 'rescue' me!" "If you like her, do you love her?" "Ummm...in a way. But not...that way." "Then, like a friend?" "Well - yes." The figure of Shampoo turned to face True Ranma, and smiled. She bowed slightly, and giggled, then faded. She was replaced with another female form. This one had long, brown hair, a cute face, and a large spatula on her back. She was smiling, and holding out a plate with an okonomiyaki. "Ucchan." "How do you feel about her?" they asked, once more in unison. "She's my best friend," he answered quickly. "Even though she also helped destroy your wedding?" "Yeah. Her flour bombs just make a big cloud of flour, like smoke, and those exploding okonomiyaki weren't even as powerful as Shampoo's firecrackers." "Do you love her?" "Yeah, she's my best friend!" "Is it any deeper?" "No!" "Even though she loves you with all she is?" asked Other's Image. "Y...yes. I never asked Ucchan to fall in love with me. I never wanted to be engaged to her." "Would it be so bad, if you married her?" asked Self-Image. He thought for a moment, picturing life as her husband. He saw a comfortable home, and a loving wife, and children. But something was missing. "Yes, it would," he finally answered. "Why?" "No passion. And I'd lose my best friend to get a wife." "Do you love her?" "Yes, as a friend." "The same way you love Shampoo?" "Umm...no. Stronger," he whispered. "As more than a friend?" "..." "As more than a friend?" "yes" "As a lover?" "No." "Then how?" "..." "How?" "Like a sister. The same way I love Nabiki and Kasumi, but for different reasons." The form of Ukyou disappeared, after tossing the okonomiyaki to Ranma. It said, in sauce, "I like Ranchan!", making him feel slightly guilty he didn't feel as strongly as she did. She was replaced by the short-haired girl he first saw, minutes ago. She was wearing her gi, and in the same stance she had taken in their first sparring match, so many months ago. "Akane," he breathed. ******************** Kasumi had retreated to the kitchen, her haven from the troubles that infected the household. It was her way of keeping the calm facade she had become famous for throughout Nerima. Inside, she was troubled about Ranma. On the one hand, she knew how Akane truly felt about him, and was worried about how she would take it if...but she refused to finish the thought. On the other hand, she had come to care a lot about Ranma, as well. He had become the younger brother she never had, and she even referred to him in her diary as 'Ototochan', or 'dear little brother'. She didn't know how she, herself, would react, if... Footsteps behind her alerted her to the fact that someone had invaded her sanctum. Turning, she saw the familiar form of Doctor Tofu. Something looked different about him, at first, then she realized what it was. "Doctor, where are your glasses?" For his part, Doctor Tofu was barely able to keep control of himself. Since all he could see of Kasumi was a fuzzy outline, he could tell himself that it really wasn't Kasumi. "Oh...i-it was Mrs. Saotome's idea. I, um, really don't know why, he he he." He smiled, a silly little grin that hid his absolute terror. Terror about how he felt, terror that it wasn't returned. Kasumi looked at him, seeing his eyes for the first time. They were beautiful to her, and, for once, he wasn't running around Nerima with Betty-chan on his back. "Um...have you thought about contacts? I like your eyes." Doctor Tofu's eyes crossed, then uncrossed. She liked his eyes! No, he had to get ahold of himself. He had to be strong for her, in case something happened to Ranma. "Er, well, since you want me to..." She smiled. He was so sweet. And so handsome. And so intelligent...and he wasn't acting that silly anymore. She liked that. "About Ranma..." they began at the same time. "Er, isn't that such a cliche," said the doctor. "Starting the same sentence at the same time. He, he, he." He started scratching the back of his neck, and looked at the fuzzy shape he kept telling himself wasn't really Kasumi. "Yes. It happens when two people are thinking the same thing...and have a strong connection between them." "Uh... K-Kasumi, um, when Ranma recovers, do you want t-t-to...togoouttoeatsomewhere?" He was now twisting his hands together, and rocking his weight back and forth, from one foot to another. "Hm? Oh. Yes. I'd like that...Tofu-chan." If he had still been wearing his glasses, they would have melted. As it was, he simply fainted at her adding -chan to his name. His last conscious thought was that he could now die a happy man. ******************** "How do you feel about her?" "She's an uncute tomboy!" he shouted, reflexively. He then immediately braced himself for the malleting he knew was to follow. It never came. "But you stare at her when she isn't looking.' "..." "You admit to yourself she's cute when she smiles." "..." "Don't you," pressed Other's-Image. "Yes. But she's still a tomboy!" "Do you love her?" asked Self-Image. "..." "What are your feelings about her?" "I dunno. Sometimes, I think she's a violent maniac that gets everythin' wrong on purpose. Like, when Shampoo grabs me, she mallets me, sayin' I was grabbin' Shampoo. But, other times, like when she smiles at me...I just feel more of a rush than in the middle of a good fight. I have trouble breathin', an can't think o' anything to say." He shrugged. "I just don't know." ******************** Akane had not left Ranma's side for the past hour. In that time, Ukyou had stopped by. Nabiki was ready to turn her away, but Nodoka stopped her. When she was briefed on what had happened, she raced upstairs, and into Ranma'a room. "Akane I heard!" Her first instinct, which she didn't even realize until she was doing it, was to hug Akane. Despite their rivalry over Ranma, they were still friends. The Tendou girl was stiff at first, then clutched at the okonomiyaki chef with a ferocity that surprised them both. "Oh, Ukyou, I'm so scared. He's not fighting anybody right now, he's fighting himself! I don't even know if he's going to...going to..." She began to cry onto the other girl's shoulder. "It'll be okay, Aka-chan. This is Ranma, nothing can keep him down for long." She let Akane cry some more, but was stunned by the girl's response. "Not even his own feelings? His feelings about all of us?" It was that moment that Ranma's breathing stopped. ******************** "If you cannot determine your feelings about her, you will die," said Self-Image. "If you die, what will that do to her?" "I...don't know. Sometimes, I think she hates me. She's always hittin' me, and yelling at me, and calling me a jerk and a pervert. But, I know that she tries so hard when she cooks, because she wants to do somethin' for me. An' why would she get so angry about Ukyou an' Shampoo, unless she was jealous?" "Do you think she loves you?" "..." "Do you think she likes you?" "I think she likes me...an', maybe, could love me. If things were different, that is." "What things?" "The curse, for one. And we're too young, too." "When has she ever shown that the curse matters to her anymore?" "She did, at first...but, now, I dunno. She treats me the same no matter what body I'm in." "Do you really think the curse is in the way, for her, then?" "...no." "What about you?" "Huh?" "Is the curse in the way for you?" "Umm...yeah." "Why?" "She deserves a real man, not a half-man, half- woman. An' I don't even know if my cursed form can age at all. If we were married, in forty years, she'd be a middle-aged woan on the arm of a teenage girl. An' I don't like the idea of our children not knowin' if I'm their mother or their father." "You've thought about children with Akane?" "..." "Does that mean you've imagined what it would be like to be married to her?" "...yes." "And?" "I kinda thought about it both with the curse, an' without it." "And?" "...I like both ideas." "Do you like Akane?" "...yes." "Do you love Akane?" "I don't know. I don't know what that kind of love is." "Do you love her the same as you love Shampoo?" "No. S-stronger." "Do you love her the same as you love Ukyou?" "No. D-different." "Not like a sister?" "Um...no. More like a p-part of me." "Then like a lover? Or a wife?" "I don't know. Is it like they're a part of you, and you can't imagine what it's like without them?" "What do you think?" "I think...maybe...I do love her like that." True Ranma grinned mischeviously. "But I ain't gonna admit it to her at first - she's too much fun to tease. Besides, it'd seem kinda funny if I woke up proclaiming everlasting love for her, like Kuno." Other's Image and Self Image looked at each other. Nodding, they walked into each other, fusing into one image, similar to the form True Ranma had on that plane. "Sleep, Ranma. You will awaken." And the images faded, and Ranma slept. ******************** "Doctor Tofu! He's not breathing!" screamed Akane. "Help him!" Ukyou had run downstairs to get the doctor, and practically carried him back up. "Do something!" The doctor looked at the fuzzy shape he assumed was Akane, since it had her voice. "I'll start mouth- to-mouth, but I can't guarantee anything. Ranma has to do this on his own." He walked over, and knelt down next to the stricken martial artist. With one hand, he closed Ranma's nose, and began to bend over. "Gee, Doc, eben do by birst kiss wad a guy, by decod wud doedn't hab to..." came the nasal reaction. "Ranma!" Two girls at once shouted his name, then promptly dove on top of him to hug him for all they were worth. On his left, Ukyou was dragging him to a sitting position so they could hug him better, while his right arm was wrapped around a sobbing Akane. Two minutes later, Doctor Tofu came walking back downstairs to the expectant family. When he reached the bottom, he just looked back up at the landing. First, Ukyou appeared, beaming like a thousand watt bulb. Shortly after her, was Akane, her eyes red and puffy from crying, but with one of her priceless smiles. Then...Ranma stepped out. Everyone cheered, except Cologne, Nabiki, and Soun. Cologne merely smiled, and nodded, Nabiki struggled to maintain her composure and not let her joy show, and Soun just erupted into incoherant tears of joy. Akane paused for a brief second at the top of the stairs, after meeting Nodoka's eyes. Ranma, for once paying more attention to the fact that they were so happy he was alive, didn't notice this. He bumped into her, and they both tumbled down the stairs, collecting Ukyou in their tangled mess of arms and legs. "Hey, why'd ya stop like that, you uncute tomboy!" yelled Ranma. "Ranma, you jerk, why weren't you watching where you were going!" She pulled out the mallet, and knocked him into the floor. "And don't call me tomboy!" "Don't you dare hurt my Ran-chan!" demanded Ukyou. pulling out her spatula, and facing off against Akane. As the two began to jockey for position, auras flaring, Nabiki turned to look at Kasumi. "Well, I don't know what happened inside Ranma's mind... but it looks like nothing's really changed." Kasumi took a glance at Doctor Tofu, who was helping the fathers at trying to keep the girls apart, and said, with a secret smile, "Well...maybe some things have changed." - finis