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All original Ranma1/2 Characters and Backstory Copyright
Rumiko Takahashi, and are used without permission.

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Coutuva.



Little Red - Part Four
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	Ranma sighed, nodding to himself.  "I see you figured it
out.  It took a lot of crap, but we did it.  I've had her since
she was four years old," he explained, settling to a fallen log.
"After I left Nerima, I made her my personal mission.  I didn't 
care when, I didn't care what it took -- I was going to get her 
back," he stated, his eyes still on her.
	It took a moment, but somehow, she found her voice.
	"God, Ranma...  I can't believe it.  You actually did it," 
she breathed, finally meeting his gaze.
	"Damned straight.  I told you back then, Akane.  She's
my daughter...  Ain't no force strong enough to keep me away from
her.  I swore to you and everyone else that I'd find her and get 
her back -- and that's exactly what I did," he responded, his eyes 
flashing despite his calm tone.
	That was when it hit her.  Her jaw fell open as she tried
to find something -- anything -- to say, but the words just wouldn't
come.  Finally, she dropped her face to her hands -- and wept.
	"G-gomen, Ranma.  I...  Couldn't help it.  This...  This
has been torturing me for years.  I...  Still have nightmares
about it," she sobbed, at which he shocked her by only smiling
knowingly.
	"I'm not surprised.  I know how much it hurt me," he
commiserated, rising to walk toward her.  "Especially since I wasn't
around to stop it," he added, a touch of darkness in his tone.
	She withered again.  "Gomen.  I...  Was alone and I was
afraid...  And I knew I couldn't face you.  I just couldn't.  I knew
doing it would make you angry, but I was more scared of what would 
happen if I didn't.  And since you and your Dad were gone on that 
trip..." she confessed, painfully.
	Ranma huffed.  "Kinda figured.  But, what's done is done,
right?  Can't do anything to change that now," he responded, 
stunning her again.
	"Nani?" she gasped, gaping back at him.  "But...  I 
thought..." she attempted, but he only shook his head.
	"I was.  For about the first five years.  If I'd have
seen you then..." he trailed off, a strange tone to his voice.
"But, as I began to raise Red, I came to realize you'd actually
done me a favour.  For the first time in as long as I could
remember, I was *enjoying* my life.  I was happily married to an
amazing woman, had a wonderful, growing family, and was working at
something I discovered I loved.  In short, I had it all," he 
went on, a smile returning to his face.
	She looked up at him in utter amazement, having already
figured she was street okonomiyaki at least three times over.  All
Ranma did was chuckle.  Finally, he walked up and extended his hand.
	"Let's head back, Akane.  I just heard the kids come in
from picking up the new horses," he smiled, lifting her to her
feet.  She was still too overwhelmed to do much more than nod
and follow along.
	Even as she settled on her horse, her mind continued to reel,
until she caught a glimpse of the headstone.  For some reason, she 
found her eyes drawn to it.
	Ranma apparently noticed.
	"You would probably have liked her," he sighed, into a 
small, wistful smile.  "She was the warmest, most caring person 
I've ever known.  She was pretty too, but not like a fashion model 
or anything.  Had cinnamon eyes that could melt steel, and real soft 
skin.  She kinda reminded me of Kasumi, because she could say more 
with a look than most people could in a sentence," he noted,
his face softening.  "We met when I was still working at the Dojo
in town -- before I started here.  Over time, she found out about 
my 'mission', and out of the goodness of her heart, just decided 
to help me.  Truth is, without her family's money and connections, 
I'd probably still be fighting," he went on, looking back at the 
stone.  "During the endless bureaucratic crap, we fell in love,
and eventually married.  The very next day, she insisted that we
apply for the adoption as a family unit, and it helped.  We
finally got Atsuko.  The boys came along later.  Akiko-chan loved
them all, and raised them like they were her own, but she was
especially fond of Atsuko.  They kind of bonded from the start -- 
hell, she even gave her the nickname "Little Red", since she was
the second redhead in the family," he noted, a fond smile parting
his face.
	Akane found she couldn't help smiling as well.  "She sounds
wonderful.  I wish I could have met her," she remarked, sighing.  
"Even just to say thanks," she added to herself, her heart 
twisting.
        "Let's go, Akane.  They could use a hand getting the
horses settled," Ranma noted, looking back at the plot one more
time.  "Oyasumi nasai, Akiko-chan," he whispered emotionally,
bringing a tear to Akane's eyes.




	As they cleared the brush and approached the main yard,
Akane couldn't help but notice how Ranma brightened as he caught
sight of his family.  Just as she started to smile at the excited
glint in his eyes, a whoop went up from beside the large rig backed
up to the stables.
	Instantly, Ranma urged his horse into a gallop, racing
toward the figures now running toward him.  Akane had to hold her
horse back, but still smiled at the sight of Ranma making a flying
dismount to scoop up his daughter and spin her around.  
	The two boys immediataely flanked him, getting on his case 
for trying to get out of bedding the new horses.  Their laughter 
could be heard echoing off of every structure in the area.
	Eventually, Akane walked her horse up to the arena rail and
climbed off, tying the animal off with something that resembled a
slip knot.  She deliberately stayed away from the commotion of the
unloading, not only to be out of the way, but to give herself a
chance to let everything that had happened soak in.
	Eventually, Ranma noticed her standing by the rail, and
started to walk toward her.  As he did, he gestured for Atsuko to
join him.  "Yo, Akane -- what are you doing over here?" he asked, 
striding up to her with a grin.  
	She shuddered at their approach, praying she'd be able to 
maintain her composure around Atsuko.  From what she recalled of 
her first brief conversation with Ranma, she was certain Atsuko 
had no idea who she was, and assumed Ranma wanted to keep it that
way.
	As soon as Atsuko caught sight of her face, she immediately
gasped.  "You!  You're that Filmmaker!" she smiled, elbowing her
father.  "See, Dad?  I told you she was a looker!" she teased,
winking.
	Akane flushed.  Ranma shrugged.  Atsuko laughed.
	"So I'm a looker, ne?  What's this, Saotome?  You using
your daughter to scope for babes?" she intoned, raising Atsuko's 
eyebrows and drawing a tired eyeroll from Ranma.  Inwardly, she was
grateful for the escape hatch.
	"Uh...  Lemme guess; you two already know each other,
don't you?" Atsuko asked, eliciting grins from both of them.
	"Hai.  Very well.  We're old...  Friends.  That's why I
was so interested in your name, Atsuko-chan," Akane explained,
trying to be casual as she looked the girl over with new eyes.
Suddenly, she seemed even more beautiful and even more perfect,
adding a new kind of pain to the ache in her chest.
        "Okay...  Tamago on my face.  Here I was trying to get
him to handle the business with you personally, so he'd actually
meet someone," the girl smirked, at which Ranma shrugged.
"Papa no Baka," she groaned, at which Akane couldn't help but
break out laughing.  Ranma followed suit a second later.
	"Hey...  It wasn't that funny," Atsuko blinked, regarding
them both like they were crazy.
	"It's a long story," Ranma finally explained, between
laughs.
	"Must be," she smirked, looking back and forth between 
them.


      

	After the horses were all fed and watered and the tack
stored away, Akane stood beside a smiling Ranma as Atsuko drove the
rig to the shed.  "She drives trucks, too?" she asked, more
impressed with the girl every minute.
	"Hai.  She's better than the guy we had hired for it, so
we let her do it now.  She can back an eight-stall down an alley if
she has to," Ranma noted, proudly.
        "Masaka...  She really is incredible," she breathed, 
realizing sadly that if Ranma kept talking, she was going to lose
it.  "I...  Better get back to my room now, Ranma," she stated,
trying to smile through her stinging eyes.  "I...  Have to get
back to work eventually," she began, only to be cut off by Ranma's
hand landing on her shoulder.
	"Hai.  I'll get Red to drive you -- I got some things to do
so we're ready for the morning crowd.  Uhm...  Why don't you just
get your stuff and come back?  You can leave from here in the
morning with a real breakfast under your belt.  Hiro is an expert
cook," he suggested, smiling his famous smile.
	"Sure...  I'd...  Actually like that," she smiled back,
despite her surprise at the offer.  She had expected he'd be glad
she was leaving.  Her her heart actually skipped a beat when she
found herself wondering if things really were behind them now -- 
which made her feel better than she had in years.
	"Great!  I'll set it up," Ranma smiled, apparently also
quite pleased.
	Ten minutes later, Akane and Atsuko were on their way back
to town, chatting idly about horses and the film.  As the trip
progressed, Akane began to notice that Atsuko seemed preoccupied.
At first, she wasn't sure if it was a real impression, or just her
still rather unsettled state making her suspicious, but as time
went on, her curiosity got the better of her.  "Is something
bothering you, Atsuko-chan?" she asked, carefully.
	"Hai.  I'd like to ask you something.  You said you're
an old friend of my Dad's, right?  Does that mean you're from
Nerima?" the girl responded pointedly, glancing over at her.
	"I am...  We grew up there," Akane supplied, getting
the distinct impression she wasn't going to like where this was
going.
	Atsuko sighed.  "I see you're wearing my Dad's emergency
clothes, and I noticed how familiar you are with him.  And I
noticed something else -- the way you were looking at me
tonight," she stated, sounding as if she was building a case.
Akane felt her stomach tighten.
        Atsuko glanced over at her once more -- and seemed to
set herself.  "Please forgive me, but I have to ask you this;
are you...  My mother?" she asked, amazingly calmly.
	Akane shuddered, then slowly deflated.  "How...  Did you
know?" she finally asked weakly, expecting the worst.
	"Akiko told me -- just a few days before she passed away.
She wanted to be sure...  I would know my real mother someday,"
the girl replied, her voice tight.  "She always told me I was
adopted, just...  Not like my brothers.  Dad wouldn't ever say 
anything about it.  Finally, she did, but made me promise
never to tell him that I know," she added, sniffing.
	Akane, her own eyes stinging again, drew a long breath and
steeled herself.  "Akiko...  Was a very special woman.  I owe her
a lot.  And I wish with everything I am that I could have been
more like her," she stated, her head lowered and hands meshed in
her lap.  "In a weird sort of way...  I'm actually glad things
worked out the way they did.  She did a wonderful job with you;
and with Ranma.  I couldn't...  Have asked...  For more..." she
trailed off, breaking down in tears as the years of regret and 
remorse finally surged through her shattered defenses.
	Atsuko immediately pulled the jeep to the side of the
road, braking to a stop quickly.  As soon as the vehicle settled,
she reached over -- and hugged Akane as tightly as she could.
	"Okaasan...  I've been praying I'd finally meet you,"
she sniffed into Akane's ear, starting to cry herself.  "I don't
care about anything else," she added, tightening her hug.  The act
literally melted Akane's tortured, aching heart.
	"Atsuko-chan...  I'm so sorry...  And I've missed you so 
much," she sobbed back, shifting around to return the hug.  "No 
matter what -- I've always loved you," she added, her voice barely
a ragged whisper.




	Ranma looked up from his Equestrian Monthly magazine, his
acute hearing detecting a familiar sound.  Beside him, Kin and
Hiro also looked up.
	"Sounds like Red," Kin drawled, to a nod from the other
two.  A few moments later, Ranma smiled as Atsuko drove into the
yard.  Just as he went to rise from his deck chair, he smiled even
more broadly as Akane's car pulled in behind her.
	Walking across to the steps, he watched as the two women
got out of their vehicles and met each other -- then almost
face-faulted as they hugged happily.  His face stayed disjointed
as they held each other for a few more seconds, then separated
and walked toward him -- holding hands.
        It was a scene torn from his fondest dreams -- and he
immediately knew who was responsible for it.  "Arigato,
Akiko-chan," he thought to himself, his chest tightening.  He
had wanted to gauge Akane's reaction before telling Atsuko, but
as usual, his wife had known better.
	By the time they reached him, he had managed to regain
his composure, and was smiling so wide his face hurt.  "So what
does this mean?" he asked cagily, just in case.
	"It means I found my Birth Mother!" Atsuko almost
squealed, hugging Akane again.  "And better yet, I actually like
her!" she added, teasingly.
	Akane could only smile ecstatically -- and nod
emphatically.
	Ranma couldn't believe his ears.  "At last!!" he shouted,
immediately scooping both women up and hugging them to him,
laughing like a man possessed.  His hasty plan had actually worked,
and better than he could have ever hoped.
	"Put us down, Dad!  You're going to break Mom in half!"
Atsuko laughed, thumping his shoulder weakly.
	Ranma stopped in mid-laugh, the word shooting through his
brain like a katana.  Instantly, he looked at Akane, whose face
was inches from his.  He had to look twice at what he saw, just
to make sure he was actually seeing it.
	She was looking over at Atsuko, her cheeks glowing, her
dark eyes misty -- and her face bearing a mixture of pride -- and
happiness.  "Mom..." she repeated softly to herself, a tear
rolling from her eye.
	"It fits -- just like I always knew it would," Ranma
commented, smiling gently as she turned to face him.  She looked
into his eyes for a long moment, then threw her arms around his
neck.
	"Ranma no Baka," she sniffed, hugging him tightly.



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END - Little Red                        A Ranma1/2 Fanfic By Coutuva


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