The next days were... different, to say the least for the people of Nerima. Ranma saotome, center of the district's strange happenings, did something no one suspected him capable of : He cleaned up his own mess.
First, he went to his grandparents on his mother's side after a visit to city archives. As he thought, they had cut off all relations with their daughter when she married Genma, that 'despicable ronin'. At first, they were suspicious but after telling them his story (and demonstrated the curse), they accepted to adopt him, nullifying all the deals Genma or Nodoka made on his behalf.
The next day, Kuno attacked him on the way to school with a live katana, as always since the failed wedding. Ranma let himself be struck to the surprise of all present. Kuno, ecstatic that he drawed blood at last, pressed on... and found himself targeted by a police squad's weapons. The insane kendoist was neutralized and arrested for assault with deadly intent. When they went to the Kuno mansion to take statements from his father and sister, they reacted badly and joined Tatewaki behind bars.
During the day, Ryoga found Furinkan high school and went into his "Ranma, prepare to die !" spiel. Only this time, Ranma took his words SERIOUSLY and fought him all-out from the start as if the lost boy was Herb or Saffron. Pig-boy had been carted off to the hospital in critical condition. When Akane tried to punish him for hurting poor Ryoga, she was sent into LEO by a ki blast. Ranma only said this "From now on, no more mr. nice martial artist... When you attack me with deadly force, I will respond in kind !"
When the fathers had confronted him later, he didn't budge no matter what arguments the idiot pair came up with. Even Soun's demon head was useless. When they tried to use force, they discovered Ranma had now control of the Neko-ken as he clawed their clothes into little shreds "If you attack me again, you'll see I can do much worse on human flesh with my claws..." he threatened.
Kasumi and Nodoka were sent to Ranma's room to chastise him and make him ask for forgiveness. Their admonishments fell on deaf ears. Ranma just shrugged and said that a mindless slave and a sexual deviant were not people whose opinion mattered to him. Nodoka threatened him with Seppuku but Ranma showed her a little paper : he was now her parents' son, the family honor blade was to be put in his care and she and Genma were now officially reduced to the state of nameless ronins. When Nodoka asked tearfully how he could do that to her, he answered that his mother died when she allowed her husband to take him from her.
Nabiki stayed out of this. Now that Ranma had struck Akane, his own fiancee, she didn't delude herself about the possibility that he wouldn't be gunning after her soon. To placate him, she stopped her operations concerning him (bets, photos, blackmail, etc...).
One morning, the amazons came to announce that they were renouncing all their claims on Ranma. The village council had declared him immune to their laws in thanks for past services. When asked, Cologne scowled "He defeated Saffon and allowed us to enact punishment on one of our worst enemies. Happosai's skull is now a trophy on the village's gates" All turned to Ranma with horrified expressions. Ranma smirked evilly "The old monster had it coming for a long time"
Ukyo was a little more difficult. Even with their engagement technically null and void, she kept coming again and again, until her father reappeared and reinstated her as his daughter. The Kuonjis left with Konatsu the same day. Ukyo's father may have a skewed sense of honor like Genma but he was a businessman first. When Ranma paid him enough to buy a few yattais (courtesy of some yakuza who didn't need the money as much as Ranma), he graciously accepted to forget the whole incident.
Then Ranma announced that he was leaving Nerima for good. Soun and Genma tried talking, pleading and bullying to no avail. When they attacked him again, trying to profit from his former weaknesses (cats, the hell cradle maneuver, akane's cooking), Ranma beat them down and crushed the Tendo dojo sign into splinters "I defeated the master of the dojo after all... No more uniting the schools now since the Tendo branch of the Art is dead !"
Ranma left the next day, without a look backward. That part of his life was over. Now Ran, first prince of the late Moon Kingdom, eldest child of Queen Serenity and the worst badass of the solar system was back in business.
For no apparent reasons, the sailor senshi (except Saturn who was too young at the time and Pluto who was downing several tylenols) had suddenly premonitions of impending doom.
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See other episodes by Jamil Nate
(Posted Mon, 28 Oct 2002 11:16)
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