Nabiki sat bolt upright, her dagger ready to fly as she searched for her children.
"They were down the hall in my old room." Ranma said calmly. "I think they're in the garden now."
"Sorry." Nabiki said, ducking her head. "I get... you know."
"Twitchy. I know. I feel it too." Ranma scratched his head and stretched. "So, what do you wanna do now?"
"Well, you can either join me in bed and we can make sweet passionate love that shakes the rafters and leaves no doubt in a five mile radius of your manliness."
"Tempting. But I think we may have to face a dreadful and skilled adversary first. One who can only be overcome by strength, wits, and possibly groveling and puppy dog eyes."
"Very well then! Let's go and see... your mother."
Nodoka waited patiently as her two guests descended the stairs. "Mother." Ranma said bowing formally. "I'm sorry... I've been away so long. Momma!" Ranma threw himself weeping into his mother's arms, his flowing tears staining her pale green dress.
"Shhh. Let it out Ranma." The older woman cooed and soothed her son.
"I'm sorry, momma. I never meant our reunion to be this way." Ranma murmured wiping his eyes.
"That's all right my son. I'm just glad you're home. Now, why don't you tell me about my family?" Nodoka asked as she poured tea.
"Which of us would you like to know about?" Ranma said as he and Nabiki sat looking out into the garden where Kenshiro and Rikku sat facing each other, her hands resting lightly on his, seemingly meditating together in their strange communion.
"I suppose that you should start... with yourself."
"I'm not really much, not by myself." Ranma said. "That was one of the first things this trip taught me, as a fighter, as a mage, and as a man."
"A mage? But isn't magic-"
Ranma raised his hands and allowed a sphere of pale green energy spun between his hands. "Magic is all too real. More than just transformative curses and compulsive objects. My magic is chaotic, like me. I know how to heal, destroy, find things, lose things."
"But why learn magic?" Nodoka asked.
"Because I had to for my family and friends to survive, and I actually found I enjoyed it. The spells I created can be passed on to other mages and spell crafters, leaving a legacy better than the cursed school of Anything Goes. It gave me a sense of control that I'd been missing before. Anything I believe, I can do."
"More than anything, this trip has taught all of us that as long we believe in each other, that there's nothing in this world or any other that can stand against us." Nabiki said squeezing Ranma's hand.
"You two are... close?" Nodoka asked raising an eyebrow as Ranma pulled Nabiki close.
"I am hers." Ranma said simply.
"I am his." Nabiki threaded her hand through his.
"We... are one." They said in unison.
"I see. I can feel the love from the both of you, but what of Akane?"
Ranma shook his head sadly. "She lost me. She had three long years to learn to to love and trust me, and she squandered it. Nabiki... it started as a gift to me on my birthday, but in her heart... she trusted me, even from the beginning."
"I had to put my trust in him to survive, and he trusted me. And that trust is the foundation for all that we have."
"So I see. Is that all? Simple trust?"
"No mother. Absolute trust. We've been through a lot and seen and been in positions where it's all too easy to believe the worst, but because we have that absolute trust we have patience to learn the truth. And we've done our best to pass that on to our children."
"Are your children... legitimate?"
"Yes and no. Rikku was conceived out of wedlock, but we had our first wedding a few months after it was sure she'd make it to term." Nabiki smiled sadly. "Rikku was our first success, not our first attempt. There were others but.... there were complications."
"You miscarried." Nodoka said with a sad realization.
"Unfortunately. I think it may be genetic. I remember father telling us how happy he was the day we were born, because it meant that everything was all right and nothing could harm us. That's why he tends to be overprotective to the point of obsession."
"I see." Nodoka said. "Will you be having anymore?"
"I can't." Nabiki said lowering her head. "N-not anymore."
"Why not?" Nodoka asked. Nabiki sighed and drew the throwing knife she had the night prior.
"Nabiki." Ranma placed his hand over the dagger in hers. "You don't have to do this."
"Yes I do. I respect mother too much not to let her know." Nabiki grimaced as her eyes took on a slightly out of focus look. "Just get ready to patch me up when I finish my little demonstration."
Before anyone could move, Nabiki plunged the dagger deep into her right arm and ripped it jaggedly from inner elbow to wrist. "You see," Nabiki grit her teeth against the pain as she peeled the skin and muscles away to reveal titanium bones and fiber optic filaments. "I'm not entirely human."
"Momma!" Rikku raced in even as Ranma wove a healing spell. "Why do you have to be so dramatic?" She growled, pulling a small metallic cylinder out of nowhere. "You know it takes a minimum of thirty six hours for your nanites to recharge properly and they just finished rebuilding your arm! And don't tell me it wasn't as bad as I think cause I know when your lying!" She snarled, passing the glowing cylinder over the slowly closing gash.
"Rikku." Kenshiro leaned against the doorframe. "Calm yourself."
"Sorry bro." Rikku said contritely as she and Ranma reversed Nabiki's self inflicted damage. "But you know I worry, about all of us. And I don't exactly put a lot of faith in magic, even if papa is the mage in question."
Nodoka opened her mouth to protest when Nabiki lay her opposite hand on her arm shaking her head no. "She has her reasons. That's for her to tell, not us."
Ranma looked up as the pair finished. "There. All better. Rikku, what's her N charge at?"
"30% and climbing slowly but surely. The regenerative charge I used really helped a lot."
"N charge? Regenerative charge?" Nodoka looked on in confusion.
"Sorry hun, but you opened this Pandora's box, so you explain it to her." Ranma said pouring his children tea.
"You'll pay for that dear husband." Nabiki mock growled. "Ten years ago we landed on a world where earth was a global battlefield, where marauding alien constructs battle against earth's automated defense system Code named Skynet. I.... Ah hell, no mincing words. I was careless. I triggered a concealed explosive device and 70% of my body was destroyed. I should have died. But it was only the beginning."
"What-" Nodoka tried to inject a question into the deadly silence.
"What happened? I was rebuilt by Cyberdyne, the company that made the automated defenders of Skynet. They wanted to test a new method of combining the best qualities of an Infiltrator unit with the mental abilities of a human. We were desperate, Kenshiro there was only 2, and Rikku only 6. I volunteered to undergo the process, figuring if it failed I was dead. But it didn't. I lived, stronger and faster then before, but because of the amount of damage, my reproductive system was completely destroyed."
"So you are part machine?"
Nabiki nodded. "A human heart and soul in a shell of titanium, polymers, and nanite biotechnology. I suppose with enough time the nanites could reverse the physical damage and reabsorb the cybernetic components, but.... until then, this is what I am."
"You're dodging the questions, mother." Kenshiro said in his cool controlled voice.
"I live with the answers everyday, little sword." Nabiki said smiling at her son. "Nanites, Nodoka, are microscopic machines that can be programmed to perform a variety of tasks. I have internal units that aid in my body repairs and external units that provide me with a variety of ah... other options."
"What mamma's trying to say is even she doesn't know her full capabilities. And she's had ten years to learn."
"And a few upgrades that made me start from scratch, like the thermoptic camouflage." Nabiki smiled. "But now I suppose you want to meet your grandchildren?"
"I would like that." Nodoka said with a slight smile wondering what surprises her grandchildren would hold.
"Children, introduce yourselves." Ranma said with a smile.
"With pleasure. I am Saotome Kenshiro. I am 12 years old, blood type O. I understand you are a sword mistress?"
"Well, yes, I am."
"If you would be willing, I wish to learn your style." The young swordsman brushed a dark blue bang away from his frost blue eyes.
"I would be honored to pass my school onto you." Nodoka said before reaching out to touch a tattoo of a single tear below his right eye. "May I ask-"
Kenshiro's face darkened as he flinched away. "Better you don't, grandmother. It is a part of my past."
Nodoka raised and eyebrow, but Ranma just shook his head and mouthed. "His story to tell."
"I'm Saotome Rikku." The bubbly redhead piped up, mischief dancing in her dark red eyes. "I'm sixteen years old, also blood type O. I love machines and technology and can build just about anything given the proper resources."
"Oh dear, that's hardly proper."
The family was silent a long while before Rikku spoke again. "Grandmother, I am a tomboy. I'm more comfortable in grease stained overalls with machines then silk kimonos with tea."
"Grandmother, I am cold. I show no emotions more than are necessary. I am content with my destiny and will live my life as my own." Kenshiro said quietly.
"Grandmother, we ask that you do not judge us. We have survived a life that we pray you never have to dream of. Our parents and our lives have shaped us into what we are, and we have no regrets about that. We ask that you do not try to change what we are, that you do not try to mold us to your ideals, because that is not who we are. Instead, we ask that you simply accept us as we are, and love us for who we are." The children spoke softly but in the still of the room their dual voices carried with perfect clarity.
"I once lost a son, because I was unwilling to accept the man he had become. I will not make that mistake again." Nodoka whispered as thin streams trailed down her cheeks.
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(Posted Sun, 19 Sep 2004 03:42)
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