Fantasy AUs

[nerdietalk]

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[hououji]

[ most of the early entries were clearly written while she was in training with the wind god’s temple. There’s a lot about war after, and being on the battlefield. These entries are short, sometimes just numbers or tallies under dates.

Does Ranma want to close the journal before they potentially wind up in it? ]

If I stayed in bed any longer, I would have gone mad. I’ve been resting for days and the healers do their jobs well.

[fluidgender]

[Extremely risky likelihood that this could do damage to any vague sense that they've redeemed themselves for the old days. Would probably be better not to look.

Ranma looks.]

If I was sick, you'd tell ME to stop running around.

[hououji]

[the journals start to get more specific, dates moving closer to when Ranma joined the battlefield. And then a gap of about two weeks.

Father has recalled me home. He got word of how close we were to the latest battle. I don't know what they'll do after losing another healer. The war is getting worse, so many people have been lost. There must be something I can do, that we can do. Surely the people of Nerima can see reason... Surely my own people can see reason. I'd do anything to stop this.

--

Kuu has told me Father's solution. I've never seen her so sad. She doesn't believe that the world should be so cruel as to sacrifice a daughter to Nerima's prince.

I told her to run. Her retainer adores her, and she him. If they were to elope, the marriage couldn't go on. I don't think she realizes what will happen yet. It will be far too late by the time she does.

I'll speak with father in the morning.

--

Everyone looks at me as if I'm a ghost, as if I have already died. Perhaps it's better that way, that they mourn now so that the future will not be so hard. I don't think they know I can hear them. They speak of the prince like a monster. He can't truly be so awful, can he? He must also have agreed to this...

If he wants a wife then I will do my best. If he wants blood, then let it end with me. If the family takes out their anger on me, or the country its sorrow, it's better than it being taken out on Sefiro. I never want to see a battlefield again.

--

I will leave tomorrow. Kuu won't arrive home in time to stop me, thank goodness. I wonder if I'll be able to keep a journal there. I should take a new one--it wouldn't be any good for someone from Nerima to find this one.

I'll likely never see home again. I said I've made my peace with that, but it's harder than I expected. It will be lonely without everyone, but I at least have the happiness of memories and hope they'll be all right. That's what's most important.

If he wants a wife, I hope we can come to find each other's company pleasant somehow. Even if we've been on opposite sides of this war, I must believe there is good in him. I have to come to terms that he'll likely hate me. I have no idea how to be a wife. Kuu was the one who trained in that regard, so I'm certain he'll be disappointed.

If he wants me for anything other than that... I hope he'll at least lay me to rest in Sefiro.

--

Mother, Father, Kuu, if you have found this journal, please know that I'm at peace with my decision, whatever has come of it. I hope only we can meet again.

And the journal ends on the day before their wedding.]

Of course I would. But you are not sick and I am not sick.

[fluidgender]

[Ranma sets the diary down and rests their head on the bed next to it, staring at the ceiling. Its nothing surprising. Its all things that were true. Are true. Anyone would have expected the worst.

But... its hard not to think about the ways they haven't changed. No matter how much time passes, no matter how much praise they get... Ranma's still a murderer. Its the nature of this family line. Impossible not to be. Kaori... Adora... they're caught up in it too.

They wonder a lot about how feasible it would be to... end the royal line. Not violently, god no. But... to set up something without the royals at the top. Something that makes it less likely for the cursed Nerima royal blood to taint this world. A new government, new system. A system where their daughters... won't end up like Ranma.

But that possibility has slipped through their fingers. New government means instability. Instability means weakness. Weakness means the fae will sabotage. Interference means the whole idea falls apart and you're left with panic and violence as the violent horde together power and the innocents get killed in the process. Either the kids are doomed or the country is doomed. All Ranma's fault in both directions.

This might be a panic attack.]

That's hypocrisy. Ma's a hyocrite.

[hououji]

[ please do not while your wife is not nearby to comfort you. ]

How is it hypocrisy when we both aren’t sick?

[fluidgender]

[Oh there's no way in hell Ranma's telling Fuu they read their diary and then cried about it, are u kidding.]

MAMA YOU WERE SHOT AT.

[hououji]

[ Things worked out!! They’re both happy mostly!!! There’s no reason to cry. ]

And I have been healed and feel much better.

[fluidgender]

[ITS BEEN A WILD MONTH Ranma needs the cry. They might check in on Adora or Nia eventually, just to get the lay of the land.]

That sounds like a lie. [She squeezes Fuu's hand anxiously.] Better doesn't mean best.

[hououji]

[ Adora is honestly too anxious to come out of her room right now. Nia is still trying to help people, tho. One day maybe people will trust her. ]

I promise I’m telling the truth. They removed the remnant of the arrow and I’m as good as I can possibly be.

[missedorientation]

Mama, I spent weeks dealing with the fae, I'm sick of people sounding like they're loopholing their way around a lie.

[hououji]

[ Fuu cups her cheeks in both her hands. ]

I have spent nearly a month away from you and your father and our home.

Please don’t worry. I just want to enjoy being with you again now that I can.

[missedorientation]

[That wasn't a real response.

But its enough of a deflection that Catra buys it, embarrassed by the touch even though she missed it.]

Fiiiiiine... but that means you're letting me drag you into fun stuff again then, right?

[hououji]

What on earth could you possibly have planned? I have never once let you drag me anywhere.

[missedorientation]

Then it means there's lots for me to make up for! I mean gosh, you're getting up in age. When was the last time you've had some young people fun?

[erm]

[hououji]

I am still young yet. So whenever I have fun I do think it is young people fun.

[ She tries, very hard, not to draw attention to the color leaving her face.

Twelve years. She just. Has to think of it as only twelve years. Her life still stretches before her. ]

[missedorientation]

Then we'll have young people fun together! See a show or attend a party or something like that.

[hououji]

I think I might give your father a heart attack if I did that right away. And I’d like to stay close—I know Adora is recovering, too.

[missedorientation]

But you're not saying no forever...?

[hououji]

I’m saying maybe we could go see a show. If it’s safe for us to do so.

[missedorientation]

I'm gonna hold you to that! There's some opera stuff, some local community theater we could dress down and hide out in... I know there's a noble downtown who's started opening up her salon to show off paintings on the weekend.

[hououji]

Considering how adverse you’ve been to attending these sorts of things with your father and I, I’m surprised you’re interested.

[missedorientation]

Yeah, cause they're boring when it's a big social thing. But we can just do it... as a normal thing.

[hououji]

Then of course. Whenever things are back to normal I'd love to spend time with you, my love.

But we are going to have to have a talk about your leaking details to the press.

[missedorientation]

I didn't say anything that wasn't true!

[hououji]

It may have been true, but it puts us all in danger. We’re on the brink of war—I gave my entire life to making sure Sefiro wouldn’t suffer, and now unless we can come to an agreement with the far, it looks like that’s the only possible outcome.