Ranma 1/2 Fan Fiction ❯ Custody Battle ❯ Gina in da House ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: All the Ranma characters are the © properties of Rumiko Takahashi. The Randelsons are the © properties of Mari and Skyler and Raquel and Dane17.

The Bold Font is written by Skyyler (Myzories Company)

The Normal Font is written by Mari

The Slanted Bold Font is written by Raquel

Chapter 3 ~*~

It had been a semi-normal Sunday evening at the Tendo house with Ranma and Genma doing their usual 'training'. "Give back those sweet buns, Pops!" Ranma yelled at his father who is running off with a basket of sweet buns.

"You want them? You've got to fight for them!" Genma shouted back, and soon both father and son started fighting. "You call that a kick, boy!" Genma taunted Ranma, as the son gave his overweight father various degrees of kicks. "I felt rain drops harder than that!"

"Just shut up and fight back!" Ranma demanded while trying to get back the sweet buns Genma had taken from him. As usual, as in every previous fight, Ranma knocked Genma into the koi pond, but not before he rescued the basket.

In that moment, a giant panda emerged from the pond holding a sign. 'That was a cheap trick!' the signed said.

"Oh, please. Like you can ever fight fair in your life," Ranma replied, while eating some of the sweet buns. But without warning, the panda splashed water at the pig-tailed martial artist and he instantly turned into a red-haired female. "That does it!" Ranma-chan shouted and lunged at the fat panda Genma, and the two of them resumed fighting.

Meanwhile, Kasumi was washing the dishes from dinner the household recently had when she heard the doorbell ring. "Oh, my. I wonder who that could be at this hour?" Kasumi asked herself and turned off the sink to answer. When she opened the door, she saw a woman in her late thirties standing on the front porch. "Hello, may I help you?" Kasumi greeted with a respectful bow.

"Yes, is this the Tendo residence?" The woman visitor asked.

"Yes, it is. Would you like to come in?" Kasumi invited.

The raven-haired woman nodded politely and followed the oldest Tendo daughter into the rather spacious house. Gina nibbled nervously on her lower lip and wrung her hands together, as she stood behind the brown haired woman. She had opted to leave the rest of her family back at the hotel when she came to confront her brother, and now she was questioning that decision. No. It was too late to turn back now.

"Is Saotome Genma at home?" Gina asked calmly, her liquid brown eyes reflecting the nervousness that her voice didn't dare show.

Kasumi blinked at her for a moment. "Yes, he is. Would you like me to get him for you…" She let her sentence taper off, the silent question hanging in the air, waiting for a response.

"Saotome Ginako."

Kasumi's eyes widened momentarily, obvious surprise crossing her features. "J-just a moment, Ginako-san." She quickly scuttled off in the direction of the training dojo, leaving Gina to wait patiently for her return. ~*~

"Saotome-san! Ranma!"

The two combatants paused at the shout. "What?" they chorused together. Rather, Ranma-chan shouted and Genma signed.

"There's some woman here to see you, Saotome-san," Kasumi replied lightly, her face scrunching up slightly at the appearance the two were in. "You wait right there. I'll go get some hot water." She then quickly vanished back into the house.

Ranma-chan's eyes widened. It couldn't be…could it? Was She actually here?

Genma-panda was looking a bit nervous. What if it’s another family that I’ve ripped off by promising Ranma to them? He thought, as he tried to think back to the times he conned various families.

Ranma-chan, on the hand, had this look of hope on her face. "Can it be, after all this time?" she asked herself as she quickly jumped out of the koi pond.

‘Where are you going boy?’ Genma-panda’s sign asked, but Ranma-chan did not respond. ‘Foolish boy.’ Genma-panda turned his sign and got out of the pond to follow his gender-changing son.

"Okay, here’s the hot water," Kasumi announced as she brought the kettle but Ranma-chan ran past by her.

"Oh, my! I wonder where he is going in such a hurry?" she asked, when Genma-panda came up to her.

‘Beats me,’ Genma-panda signed responded.

"Let me help you, Saotome-san," Kasumi volunteer, as she poured hot water on the panda.

"Thank you, Kasumi," Genma said in gratitude. "Now let’s see what my son is up to."

Kasumi nodded in agreement and they both went to catch up with Ranma-chan.

Ranma-chan’s thoughts were running around in her head when Kasumi said that they had a visitor. "I still can’t believe that she’s finally here after all this time!" she told herself, while searching for the person that she is hoping had arrived.

"Wait, Ranma!" Kasumi called out. This made Ranma-chan stop in her tracks.

"Was it, Kasumi?" Ranma-chan asked, still anxious to meet the visitor.

"You forgot this." Kasumi held up the kettle.

"Oh. Yeah. Thanks, Kasumi." Ranma-chan gratefully took the kettle and poured the hot water on herself, instantly turning into male Ranma, then he took off again, dropping the kettle.

"What could’ve possibly made my boy so excited?" Genma questioned, as he watched Ranma leave.

"Maybe it’s got something do with our visitor," Kasumi assumed.

Genma had that mixed look of confusion and fear on his face when he heard what Kasumi said. He and Kasumi quickly followed after Ranma.

When Ranma reached the living room, he came across the female visitor who had been waiting there.

Ginako stood up when Ranma entered the room and they looked at each other for several seconds.

Ginako’s liquid brown eyes locked on Ranma’s blue eyes, which were starting to fill with tears.

It is her! She finally came. Ranma thought to himself, as he stood there, still thinking that it could be a dream.

At last! My nephew and I have met. Ginako told herself, with all sorts of thoughts running through her head.

They then decided to break the silence. "Aunt Ginako," Ranma whispered.

"Ranma," Ginako responded. Those were the first word that they had spoken to each other.

Ranma didn’t know what else to do next. He was trying to fight the tears that are whelming up in him.

Then his aunt gave him some reassurance. "It’s okay, Ranma," she spoke to him. "It’s okay for a man to cry."

That’s all that Ranma needed and he did what everyone else thought he could never do. He showed some emotion. "Aunt Ginako!" He cried with joy out as ran to his long lost aunt.

"Ranma!" Ginako called out, and the two of them met halfway and gave each other the biggest hug that they could give.

"Aunt Ginako!" Ranma actually cry to his heart content. All of his life he was told that real men don’t cry but after seeing his aunt for the first time, all that he was told don’t matter to him anymore.

"It’s all right, Ranma," Ginako comfort him with tears flowing from her eyes and stroking his hair. "Everything is going to be all right," After all the tears and the emotional greeting, they broke their embrace.

"Let me look at you," Ginako said, as she held Ranma by his shoulders. "You’ve become so handsome since the last picture you send us."

"Oh, Aunt Ginako," Ranma responded wiping tears from his eyes. "You have no idea how much this means to me!"

"I know," Ginako confirmed.

The raven-haired youth quelled the urge to shed more tears and smiled gratefully up at his aunt. "Aunt Ginako? Do you really want me to go back to America with you?"

Ginako nodded her head enthusiastically, looking much like a small child in a candy store. "We would love to have you Ranma. Everyone has been looking forward to meeting you for so long."

Ranma's smile grew in intensity. He felt as if a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "Aunt Ginako…do you really think that my old man will let me go? How…" He let his head drop forward. Suddenly, all the flaws in the plan hitting him head on.

Ginako squeezed Ranma's shoulders encouragingly and nodded, smiling. "You don't need to worry about that right now, Ranma. It'll all be taken care of. I promise."

Just then, Genma and Kasumi came into the living room. "Ranma, is everything alright?" Kasumi asked, as she and Genma saw Ranma with his Aunt Ginako.

Genma, on the other hand, wasn’t all too happy at who he saw. "YOU!" he shouted, while pointing at Ginako.

"Hello, Genma," Ginako replied, looking at Genma with narrowed eyes. "It’s been a long time." The last sentence was added with a smirk.

"Do you two know each other?" Kasumi asked the angry, fat, phony martial artist.

Pretty soon, the rest of the Tendo household came running to see what all the commotion was about.

"What is going on over there?" Soun demanded, when he saw Ranma with a raven-haired woman.

He quickly apologized to the newcomer. "Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know we had a guest."

"Hey! Would you keep it down!" Nabiki stepped into the room then saw Ranma with his Aunt Ginako. "Well, Ranma. It looks like you even attract older women," she said with a smirk.

"What was all that yelling about?" Akane inquired. Then she saw Ranma with an older woman, and there was only thing that came into her mind. "RANMA! YOU PERVERT!!" she bellowed and whipped out her mallet, and started charging at Ranma and his aunt.

But before the mallet ever came down on Ranma’s head, something held it back. Both Ranma and Akane looked and saw that it was Ginako who stopped the mallet from hitting Ranma. "You must be Akane," Ginako assumed.

"Huh? How did you know who I am?" Akane asked, very confused.

"Well, You’re Ranma’s fiancée, right?" Ginako asked.

"Yea… Well… Who are you?" Akane asked, once again very confused.

"I’m Ranma’s Aunt. I’m Ginako Randelson," Ginako said nicely.

"You’re - - he’s - -." Akane could barely finish her sentence, she was so humiliated.

"Yeah. What’d you think?" Ranma replied sarcastically.

Before Akane could reply, she was interrupted by Ginako. "May I talk to you in private for a few minutes?" She indicated the kitchen as a viable spot.

Akane was so shocked by this that she nodded dumbly, and allowed Ginako to take her hand and lead her to the kitchen. ~*~

When Gina and Akane went to the kitchen to have their ‘talk’, everyone else turned to Ranma. "Well, son. Care to explain about all this?" Soun demanded.

Normally, when things like this happened to Ranma, he usually couldn’t explain himself, because he had no idea what was going on. But now, with the help of his aunt, he could finally be able to stand up for himself.

"It’s simple, really," Ranma stated. "I’m going to be adopted."

"ADOPTED!!" Everyone repeated loudly, making Ranma cover his ears from all the shouting.

"Ranma! How could you let that woman do this sort of thing!?" Genma ordered Ranma with fury.

"Okay, Saotome. What do you mean that you’re going to be adopted?" Nabiki asked in her usual tone that she adopted when she wanted answers.

"My Aunt Gina and I have been wanting this for years," Ranma confessed. "Ever since I was eleven, I’ve been writing to her and I’ve told her everything that had been happening to my life."

"Tell me, old friend." Soun was addressing Genma at this moment. "How did you know this woman?"

"The woman, who I and the rest of my family are ashamed of, is my sister." For once, Genma actually gave an honest answer, with his head hanging low in shame.

"SISTER!" Everyone else, except Ranma, who already knew about it, echoed Genma’s reply with extreme shock.

"Saotome, you never told me you have a sister!" Soun had no idea about his old friend’s secret.

"That’s because I never wanted to talk about it," Genma responded sourly. Then he worked on his fake tears. "She disgraced the family by marrying a… an… an American!" He spat out the last part with vengeance.

He then began his tale of that so-called tragic event. "It was about twenty years ago…"

*Flashback*

While Genma narrates the story, we now see a 19-year-old Ginako dressed up as a bride, standing next to some handsome, but arrogant looking groom. "It was a lovely summer’s afternoon. She was supposed to be married on that day to a nobleman that our parents had picked out for her. Both of our families had gathered in the chapel for the event."

The chapel was filled with both families of the earlier Saotomes and the man that Ginako was supposed to marry. There, sitting on the front of the left side of the chapel were her parents and a younger Genma. "We were so proud that Ginako was about to bring honor to the family."

Everyone else looked happy for the married couple to be, except for Ginako, who had her mind on somewhere, or at least, someone else. "But then, just as the minister got to her, my disgraceful sister ran out of the chapel!"

Ginako picks up her dress, tells everyone that she can’t marry the man that her parents have picked out for her because she is in love with someone else, and quickly runs out of the chapel.

*End Flashback*

"Ever since that day, my father automatically disowned Ginako, and we were sworn to never speak of her again."

"Oh, what a tragic story you have, Saotome!" Soun said with sympathy, fountains of tears gushing out of his eyes. "First, you have an ungrateful son. Now, you have a dishonorable sister. How I feel your pain!" The two so-called patriarchs just wailed their heads off.

Kasumi just gave them a compassionate look, while Nabiki and Ranma just sweat dropped from watching this pathetic scene.

"Oh my. What a sad story," Kasumi said.

"I’ll say," added Nabiki with an impassive look. "She gave up all that money just for somebody she had just met. A foreigner, yet."

That’s when Ranma gave her deadly glare. "I believe what my Aunt Ginako did was the bravest and smartest thing she has ever done," he said, while trying to keep his composure.

Genma and Sound immediately stopped crying when they heard Ranma make that remark and charged up to him.

"What’s that suppose to mean, boy?!" Genma demanded.

"It means, that unlike you, Aunt Ginako wanted to marry for love," Ranma replied, defending his aunt’s honor.

Genma was startled by Ranma’s answer. ‘Since when did my son started to think?’ he asked himself, then regained his senses. "Now, son, you know that we have to do some things for the sake of honor," he stated for the umpteenth time, trying to make his point.

"You mean, marry for money?" Ranma was now questioning his greed hungry father. This was baffling Genma no end.

"Now, son." It was Soun’s turn to try to reason with Ranma. "Your father and I mean well. It’s so that you and Akane will be happy."

"You mean you and Pop will be happy," Ranma stated, having long ago come to the realization that this was the true reason for the two fathers always trying to bring the schools together. "All you two ever do is try to force us to get married so that you can combine the schools, which means more money for either of you."

Both Genma and Soun were shocked when they heard that. "How… Dare… You… Insult… Us… Like… That!" Soun exclaimed in fury.

"Do you wish to be disowned from this family?!?" Genma threatened. Normally this would make Ranma beg for mercy, but this time it didn’t. He just stood there and stared straight into the eyes of the two men.

"Go ahead then!" Ranma tersely replied up for himself. "I’ll be out of here anyway and I’ll never have to deal with you two ever again." Then he left the room, leaving a speechless Genma and Soun.

Both Kasumi and Nabiki were shocked by Ranma’s courage. "Oh my," Kasumi simply said.

"It looks like Ranma has a backbone after all," Nabiki concluded with a smirk. ~*~

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Ginako was having a short discussion with a still flustered Akane.

"I see that some explanations are in order," Ginako said gently.

Akane nodded dumbly.

"First, as to why we’re here, and not with the rest of the pack, is that I thought it best that we have a quiet discussion, rather than be part of the war that is most likely erupting in the main entrance."

Akane nodded in understanding then got a quizzical look on her face.

Ginako apparently could read her mind. "Well, what you heard is correct. I am indeed Ranma’s aunt," Ginako said.

Akane’s expression was now one of shock.

"Yes, it is amazing, isn’t it?" Ginako continued. "I have the misfortune to be the younger sister of that fat tub of lard that passes for Ranma’s father."

"You’re Mr. Saotome’s sister?" Akane exclaimed incredulously. "He never mentioned ever having one, or parents, for that matter."

"Well, I’m sort of persona non grata with the rest of the family," Ginako replied with a grin. "And from what I’ve gathered, our folks want nothing to do with big brother, either."

"That is, if they’re still alive," Ginako added thoughtfully. "I haven’t heard from them in nearly twenty years."

"That’s awful," Akane exclaimed.

Ginako smiled at this. From Ranma’s letters, Akane did have a compassionate streak in her. It was this that made everything else so utterly bizarre and beyond comprehension. Ginako went back to the business at hand. "Thank you. However, I’m not really bothered by it. I have a loving husband, three wonderful children, and great in-laws."

"Then why are you here?" Akane asked, dreading the answer.

"To take Ranma back home with me," was Ginako’s reply.

"Take him back home with you," Akane repeated, still not know Gina was talking about, "is it another training trip for him?"

"Actually it’s a little more than that." Gina hinted at the youngest Tendo

"Then what ever for?" Akane asked Ranma’s estranged aunt some more.

"My family and I are going to adopt him." Gina confessed.

"WHAT? ADOPT HIM?" Akane echoed in shock when she heard that.

 Gina nodded in reply to her outburst, schooling her features into one of patient understanding. "That’s right. Ranma has been writing to me for years about his situation here, and it’s no place for a young man to grow up."

"But…but…" Akane’s eyes were wide in disbelief, her mind unable to fully comprehend the meaning behind Gina’s words. "He’s choosing to go back to…America…with you?" She questioned after a moment of silence had passed between them.

"That’s right. It isn’t fair for either of you to be forced into a marriage with each other if there is no love there, and I am going to prevent such a thing from happening." The woman replied matter-of-factly.

"But our fathers have…"

Gina brought a hand up to silence the young fighter, her expression still one of patience. She hadn’t imagined that this would be easy, and now she found herself somehow pitying this girl before her. It was obvious that she had some sort of feelings for Ranma, though it was difficult to tell exactly what they were and how far they extended. "I know of the foolish ideas your idiot fathers have, but I know exactly what it’s like to be forced into marriage, and I’m not going to let that happen to my dear nephew."

Akane opened her mouth to protest again but snapped it shut, then repeated the process, effectively imitating a fish.

"Now I wish to ask you a personal question." Ginako requested, "How do you feel about Ranma?"

"Ranma?" Akane repeated quizzically, "He’s nothing more than a pervert!"

"I said how you feel not what you think about him." Ranma’s estranged aunt made it clear to Akane. She wasn’t very please of this girl said about her nephew.

"But he… that is… you don’t know what he is!" Akane stuttered, not liking the way this woman was looking at her.

"Is this has something to do about his curse?" Ginako guessed.

Akane couldn’t believe what she just heard. Does she already know about Ranma’s curse side? "I… I don’t know what you mean." She tried her best to cover up her situation.

"I think I was talking about his curse that he got from a place in China called Jusenkyo." Ginako persisted even more in trying to get Akane to tell the truth.

"But how did you know about it?" It was now Akane’s turn to ask questions.

"He told me about it." Ginako stated matter of factly.

"He told you?" Akane duplicated Ginako’s words. She had no idea that Ranma was brave enough to tell anyone.

"Yes he did," Ginako simply confirmed, "Ranma tells me everything. We’ve been writing each other since he was a young boy."

"You knew about Ranma’s curse and you still want to adopt him?"

"But of course I do. Just because he can change genders that doesn’t make him pervert." Ginako was making her point. "Hell where I live, his curse would be considered as normal."

Akane still couldn’t wrap her mind around these new revelations. She should be happy he was going to leave, relieved. And where in the world would be it is considered normal to change genders? "Normal?" It seemed her brain only wanted to form questions today.

Gina nodded her head. "We live in a very interesting town and Ranma would be more excepted there then anyplace else I think. It is very obvious that both of you are unhappy with this foolish arrangement, so why do you seem so upset?" He voice was very soft now, the kind of voice you would use when trying to sooth a small child.

Akane couldn’t answer. She took a deep breath, as if to reply, but nothing came out. Why was she so unhappy about this? He’s just a stupid pervert! She reminded herself sternly, eyes darting between Gina and the floor. Finally she settled on studying the floor tiles, tracing the patterns with her eyes while she waited for Gina to speak again. She fidgeted nervously after several beats of silence and brought her eyes up again to meet Gina’s. The eye contact lasted no more then a second before she was once again studying to tiles. "I…" She squared her shoulders stiffly. "I’m not upset! If he wants to leave then good! That’s one less problem for my family!" And with that she beat a hasty retreat, the feeling that nothing had been resolved, that yet more problems and regrets now hung in the air, haunted her as she made her way to her bedroom.

That poor girl. Ginako thought as she watch Akane left the kitchen. This must harder on her than I anticipated. It’s not easy being young these days. Then she checked the time on her watch. Looks like I might as well get going. She gets up and leaves as well. ~*~

Back at the living room, the rest of the Tendo Family and Genma were trying to what to make of this whole adoption thing.

"What are we going to do Saotome?" Soun pleaded to his partner for help, "if your sister ever adopts Ranma then the schools will never join!" He let out his trademark tears of sorrow.

"Do not fret Tendo," Genma tried his best to calmed Soun, "there’s no way that Ginako will get away with this!" he declared.

"Get away with what?" a female voiced asked from behind.

Both Genma and Soun looked up and see Ginako standing next to them. Neither of them didn’t know she was there nor heard her coming.

Gina crossed her arms and adopted a stance of irritation, staring defiantly back at the two men. She waited patiently for their response before asking again. "Get away with what?"

Genma and Soun glowered back at her, refusing to acknowledge her question.

"What do you want?" Genma demanded after a beat of tense silence, crossing his own arms to mirror his sister’s defensive posture.

"An answer to my question would be a nice start," she spat vehemently.

Genma looked as though he had swallowed something sour, his face twisting into a dark scowl. "You’ll never get away with this!" his fumed, waving his arms frantically about the room. "This stupid little scheme of yours. Ranma is my son, and you will not adopt him. He has a duty to his father."

Gina blinked in surprise at the outburst before narrowing her eyes again. "A duty to his father?" She hissed. "What about your duty to your son? Do you think that poor boy is happy here? Do you even listen when he talks to you? And you!" She exclaimed, turning on Soun, "what about your daughter? Have either of you considered their feelings in all this? You’re both behaving like selfish children!" And with that she turned on her heel and stormed from the house, manners and politeness be damned.

"Oh my please don’t leave?" Kasumi pleaded as she went after Gina.

Gina stopped momentarily "Is there something that want young lady?" She switched from anger to concern after she heard the oldest Tendo daughter calling to her.

"I sorry if my father and your brother were being rude to you." Kasumi apologized with a polite bow. "It’s just tonight was so eventful and we we’re still unsure about everything."

"It’s alright my dear," Gina showed that there are no hard feelings, "in fact I should be the doing the apologizing for my behavior since I wanted this to be a civilized matter."

"I understand Mrs. Randelson."

"Please call me Gina, Kasumi." Gina assisted.

"Are you sure that is okay?" Kasumi wasn’t sure if she should be so informal to Ranma’s aunt.

"But of course," Gina gave Kasumi a reassuring smile, "my nephew told how kind you’ve been to him even though he has his curse."

"You already know about Ranma’s curse?" Kasumi was surprised when Gina knew about it.

"Yes indeed I have," Gina admitted freely, "like I told your sister Akane, Ranma told me about it. He tells me everything."

"But how is it possible…" Kasumi just remember what Ranma told her family. "Oh yes, Ranma said that he’s been writing to you ever since he was eleven."

"Yes but he had to write me and my family in secret." Gina told Kasumi.

"Now I understand," the eldest Tendo daughter realized why Ranma did so, "if Mr. Saotome ever found what Ranma did then you’ll never be able to adopt him."

"So now do you see why this is so important to Ranma?" Gina asked Kasumi.

"Yes, yes I do," Kasumi came to an agreement, "but would you at least stay for a while longer?"

"I would love to," Gina have to gently take a rain check on Kasumi’s offer, "but I must return to my family right away."

"I see." Kasumi hang her head a little in disappointment.

"But if you decided to check up on Ranma please tell him that we are staying at this hotel." Gina handed Kasumi a hotel card. "Oh and one more thing," she reached in her purse, "if you have a chance please give Ranma this bracelet that my son made for him" Gina also handed the Kind Tendo daughter the bracelet. "With all the confusion I almost forgot about it."

"Very well then," Kasumi accepted her offer, "I’ll let Ranma know where you are. Please visit us anytime you like and bring your family as well." She finished with another bow.

"Okay," Gina took up on her suggestion; "it was nice meeting you Kasumi." She said her goodbye and exited the Tendo house.

"Same here Gina," Kasumi responded with a smile as she waved goodbye to Gina. "Bye." And softly closes the door. "Maybe I should give Ranma these right now." She told herself and headed upstairs to the guestroom. ~*~

At that moment Ranma was in the guestroom lying on his futon thinking of ways trying to get this adoption thing to work. ‘There’s just gotta be a way to make Pops let Aunt Ginako adopt me.’ During his mind wondering there was a knock on the door. "Yeah who is it?"

"Ranma are in there?" Kasumi asked through the door.

"Is that you Kasumi?" Ranma asked back.

"Yes it is me." Kasumi responded.

"Okay you can come in." Ranma invited her and Kasumi opened the door.

"I thought I let you know that your Aunt Ginako just left." Kasumi informed the pig-tailed martial artist.

"What! Aw man, and I didn’t ever say good-bye to her." Ranma felt bad about not seeing his aunt leave after waiting for years to meet each other.

"It’s okay Ranma," Kasumi place a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "I’m sure with all of this happening you probably lost track of time." She gave him her famous kind smiles. "Before she left she asked me to give you these." Kasumi handed Ranma the hotel card and the bracelet. "Here’s a card of the hotel that she and her family are staying and a bracelet that her son made just for you."

"Really? Thanks Kasumi." Ranma happily received the small gifts. "I think I should go see them tomorrow." He speculated his idea. "What do you think Kasumi?" Wanted her opinion.

"I think it’s a wonderful idea Ranma." She approved, "I believe that they all wanted to meet you after you’ve been writing to each other for so long."

"Okay then it’s settled," Ranma concluded, "but I must ask you to promise me that you would not let everyone know about it." He gave her a pleading look. "Not our fathers, not your sister, and especially the old freak."

"Oh my I don’t know Ranma." Kasumi doesn’t like to keep secrets from her family.

"Please Kasumi," Ranma beseeched, "if anyone knows about this then the whole town would most likely to hunt Aunt Ginako and her family."

Kasumi sees from Ranma’s point of view. If word gets out then their families, his rivals, fiancees, the Amazons, and the Old Pervert will go into desperate measures to prevent Ranma from leaving Nerima. "Okay I promise Ranma." She gave him her word.

"Thank you Kasumi," Ranma showed his appreciation, "for understanding how important this is for me."

"I know Ranma, I know." Kasumi fully values Ranma’s trust in her. "Now why you don’t get some sleep so that you can fresh and early to meet your aunt’s family."

"Okay Kasumi and thanks again." Ranma was being grateful of Kasumi’s benevolence and gets ready for bed.

"You’re very welcome Ranma and goodnight." And with that Kasumi left Ranma so that he can get his sleep for tomorrow.

Ranma secretly slipped the hotel card and bracelet so that his father won’t get them and tried to stop him from seeing his Aunt Ginako again. ‘Man I can’t wait to see my new family tomorrow.’ The young Satome was so excite of meeting Gina’s family. ‘I hope they’ll be okay about my curse.’ He started think about how they would react to his blight. ‘Of course Aunt Ginako told me in one of her letters that they would have no problem with it since they see stuff like that all time from where they live.’ He begins to feel relax about it. ‘This Los Angeles place must be a lot easier on people with my condition.’ After that on his final thought Ranma drifted into an easy slumber and dreams of his new life in L.A.

It looks like that Ranma my like living in Los Angeles, CA. where his curse would be considered to be normal. But would the dummy duo (Genma and Soun) try to find away to put a stop to this? And what if the NWC ever hears about this? If so, how would they react to it? These questions and more will be answered in our next chapter of "Custody Battle"