A LESSON IN LOVE (Was: A Lesson In Trust)
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic by Marisa Price

PART II

	Ranma sank to the floor against the wall and thought, "Wow."
*drip* *drip*
	Ranma looked down at the floor and noticed a couple of 
splotches of red.
	"What the...?" he wondered.
	Ranma reached up to his nose and felt the wetness, and 
realized his nose was bleeding.
	"Oh man..." he thought... "now I am turning into RYOUGA...."
	With that thought of Ryouga, Ranma got mad again.
	He thought, "Damn that pig! If he hadn't interrupted...." Ranma
paused mid-thought. "If he hadn't... then what?" he wondered.
	Ranma wondered again how he felt about Akane. This, this,
KISS, in many ways changed everything. It had always been what was
forced on them before, situations and relations that other people had
wanted for them, they never got to think about what they, what Ranma
and Akane wanted. He had admitted that to himself when he held her
in his arms, thinking he had lost her forever, that he thought he loved
her. Whatever love was.
	He still couldn't tell her though... he had tried... and tried.
	"It is so DAMN HARD!" he yelled. And he knew the real
reason why he was so afraid. It was partially because he was so 
unsure; if he did admit that he loved Akane, it would mean that he
would be wedded and bedded within twenty-four hours of the 
"happy" event. I would mean Shampoo, Ryouga, and Ukyou would
be after him wanting his hide. Ranma was scared of losing his 
freedom and his pride. After all, that was all he really had left.
	More than anything else... more than he could understand,
he wanted to protect Akane... to keep her safe... and if that was 
love, he guessed he was in it with Akane. After all, he had never
felt like that for anyone else before. He knew he felt a tearing at
his insides whenever another male got too close to her; the memories
of Kirin, Toma, Kuno, Ryouga, Mikado, Gonsungki, Shinnosuke (that
guy had come WAY too close to making Akane like him), and others,
ate at him. He wanted to beat the hell out of anyone who got too near
to his fiancee. She was HIS.
	Ranma leaned his head back against the bathroom wall and
stared blankly at the ceiling. He had to admit it.
	Ranma wanted to be able to have Akane with him as long as
he lived. He never wanted to lose her. Because he loved her... He
loved Akane. THAT was what it meant.
	Someone who was a part of you that you couldn't
give up. Someone who made you feel bad when you hurt their
feelings, someone who looked at you as if you were their hero.
Someone, who, when you kissed, made you feel light-hearted 
and dizzy and ready to do more.
	However, there was one problem still. He was half-girl.
He had thought that his curse wasn't important any more. But
it was important, especially if he wanted to be able to live a 
normal life with the person he cared about.
	Before he could love, he needed to find a cure.
*****
*2 hours later*
	Ranma sat on the deck looking out on the pond. The 
day had been clear earlier, but clouds had crawled up in the sky 
and turned the blue dome to grey. Ranma was still thinking about 
the kiss, Akane, and a plan that was beginning to develop in his 
mind. He wondered what Akane was thinking— it had been over 
two hours since the incident and she still hadn't come out of her 
room. Was she waiting for him to come upstairs to talk to her?
Should he go up and check? What was Akane....
	Ranma's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the 
glomping of a bubbly, cooing, purple mass of Chinese girl that 
was Shampoo.
	"Nihao Ranma!" Shampoo said, smiling.
	Ranma stood up quickly, Shampoo still attached to him, 
and abruptly pushed her off. Shampoo landed on her behind and 
looked up at Ranma with surprised eyes. Ranma looked REALLY 
pissed. Not just irritated like usual. He obviously did NOT want to 
be hugged.
	Shampoo asked quietly, "What wrong, Ranma?"
	"I just don't want you hanging on me, OK? Why can't you 
leave me ALONE for once? I can't deal with you today, OK? You 
are just going to get me into trouble..." Ranma paused. Trouble?
He frantically began to look around, hoping that Akane had not seen 
Shampoo's hug. He didn't see any mallets coming at him, so he 
figured he was safe. For now.
	"I have GOT to get rid of her," Ranma thought, and began 
to say, "Shampoo, we need...."
	"RAAAAAANNNNNNMMMMMMAAA!!!" someone 
shouted, and Ranma looked up to see a -very- angry Ryouga 
storming towards him.
	Ranma grunted, "Talk about being between a rock and 
a hard place!"
	When Ryouga came close enough, Ranma surprised him 
by giving Ryouga a western-style punch-in-the-nose... which 
knocked Ryouga into the pond again. Ranma went over, picked 
up the squealing P-chan, grabbed Shampoo's hand, and dragged 
them both out the Tendo gate to the streets outside.
	"Where you take us Ranma?" Shampoo asked, curious.
	"Just be quiet until we get there, OK?" Ranma growled.
	Shampoo was pretty dense, but she got the hint this time 
and said nothing until they arrived at a grassy park.
	Ranma sat down and Shampoo followed suit. Ranma 
plopped P-chan down on the table in front of them.
	"Look, guys," Ranma began, "it is about time I said 
something to the both of you."
	Ranma turned to Shampoo and said, "Shampoo... I have 
to tell you that I can never return your affection or care about you 
the way you want me too.... I....I....." Ranma shut his eyes and 
clenched his fists. Finally he got out, "I care about Ak....err...someone 
ELSE too much to ever marry you."
	Ranma opened his eyes. Shampoo was looking down at her 
hands. Finally, she tilted her head up and looked at Ranma with 
tear-filled amber eyes. She said, quivering, "The law says... Ranma...
you MUST...."
	"That isn't my law! It is your stupid law! You can't 
force me to feel the way you want me too! I can't! I'm sorry!"
Ranma shouted at her.
	Shampoo stood up and said, "Shampoo will never give 
up. NEVER!"
	Shampoo was about to turn around and run off when 
Ranma grabbed her hand and pulled her back.
	"Whatever Shampoo. But I am not done yet. Can you stay 
for a minute longer?" Ranma asked her, still holding her arm.
	Shampoo sniffled, but sat down again.
	Ryouga, surprisingly, had sat quietly through Ranma and 
Shampoo's conversation. Ranma finally turned to him, picked him 
up, and handed him to Shampoo. Both the pig and the Chinese 
girl looked confused.
	Ranma looked at both of them, a fierce look in his eyes, 
and then said, "I am going back to China. I want both of you, 
and Mousse, and probably Pop, to come with me if you want to
get cured. I know the springs are gone, so that option is out,
but I want to ask the Guide if he knows of any other legendary
springs. It is TIME we go find what we need."
	Shampoo squeaked out, "Ranma want go back to China 
with Shampoo? But..."
	Ranma shook his head and said, "For the SPRINGS, 
Shampoo. I want to be a whole man again. Ryouga, I know you 
could never find Jusenkyo without me."
	Ryouga had closed his eyes, obviously thinking.
	Ranma put his hand on Shampoo's shoulders and looked 
down at her. He said, firmly, "Shampoo... I can't marry you. I just
can't. But I want you to find a cure too, if you want one."
	Shampoo hung her head. Finally, she looked up into 
Ranma's eyes and said, "I love you Ranma."
	Ranma shut his eyes, sighed, and then said, "I don't 
love you Shampoo. I like you, a lot, but only as a friend. I
am so sorry."
	Shampoo pulled away from Ranma slowly, and sat 
P-chan on the bench. Ranma opened his eyes and saw Shampoo 
walking away. She called over her shoulder, "Shampoo think about
it. Shampoo talk to Mousse. Shampoo will talk to Ranma later."
	Ranma couldn't tell from her voice what she was thinking.
He supposed he would have to wait until later to find out. Ranma 
sat down on the bench next to Ryouga and said, "Well, P-chan?"
	Ryouga growled, and then sighed. Finally he nodded. 
Ranma smiled and said, "Cool, man! OK... let's go get you some 
hot water... there are some things I want to talk to you about."
					*****
	A few minutes later, after a quick stop by a nearby tea-shop,
for hot water, Ryouga and Ranma were walking down an unnamed 
street in Nerima.
	"So you really mean to do this, eh Ranma?" Ryouga asked.
	Ranma nodded.
	Ryouga stopped and leaned against the wall that bordered 
the street. Finally he said, "What about Akane? Are you just going
to take off and leave her after what you DID today?"
	Ranma stepped right up to Ryouga and put his fist in 
Ryouga's face, saying, "Ryouga... Forget about Akane, OK? 
I don't care if you want to be her friend, but she was never and 
will never be anything more than that to you. What you saw today... 
that is our business, OK? Back off. I....you know I...." Ranma
flushed.
	Ryouga sighed, feeling his heart break, and muttered,
"Love her?"
	Ranma grunted something that was probably a yes.
	Ryouga turned away from Ranma and punched a -very-
large hole in the street wall. Ranma just looked at him for a moment, 
knowing that Ryouga had to accept this, but also understanding it 
hurt him. Finally Ranma said, "I'm sorry, Ryouga... Akane and me
just ain't good at this stuff... but I think that we..." Ranma broke 
off.
	Ryouga was nodding. He turned to face Ranma, a little 
pale, but at least not getting depressed enough to do his depression
blast. Ranma was surprised to see Ryouga finally smile a crooked 
smile, one fang poking out over his lip.
	"What?!" Ranma asked, getting worried.
	Ryouga just clapped Ranma on the shoulder and said,
"I am just surprised, Ranma. I didn't think you had it in you."
	Ranma went through 30 different shades of red, finally 
muttering, "Um... yeah... whatever. HEY!" Ranma suddenly 
thought of something. He shouted at Ryouga, "And no more 
P-Chan either, ya hear?"
	Ryouga frowned and said, "Well I can't exactly help 
that.... but I will do my best to stay out of Akane's way when 
it happens, OK? We will be cured soon, so..."
	Ryouga noticed Ranma looked pissed off.
	Ryouga backed up and added, "Uh... and I will stay out
of her bed. I promise. OK?"
	Ranma nodded, relaxing.
	Ryouga thought up a question for Ranma. "Hey Ranma...
how are we going to GET to China? Do you have any money?"
	Ranma frowned and said, "Are you kidding? With 
Nabiki the extortionist around all the time?"
	"Ranma, you idiot! What are we going to do now then?"
Ryouga yelled, baring his fangs.
	"Cool it man!" Ranma said, putting his hands out to stop 
Ryouga. "I have an idea.... let's go to Ucchan's....I think we might 
be able to get jobs there!"
	Ryouga frowned. "What about Konatsu?"
	"You didn't hear?" Ranma asked.
	Ryouga shook his head negatively and said, "Hear what?"
	"Oh, I forgot you were lost...."
	Ryouga growled.
	Ranma sighed. "Oh stop it, jerk. Well, Ucchan told me that 
Konatsu got a job as a ninja for this really rich family.... what were
their names? Mendai? Menda? OH YEAH! Mendou. Fighting aliens
and perverts and guarding octopi or something like that."
	"Really?" Ryouga asked, surprised, "I thought he was totally
in love with Ukyou?"
	"Yeah. No kidding!" Ranma nodded, adding, "I was surprised
too. I talked to Ucchan though, and she told me she had finally told
Konatsu that she just wasn't, and would never be, interested in him like
that. He thought it was because he was so poor, so he got this job. I
guess he is set for life now guarding the Mendou Mansion... but she 
still doesn't like him that way."
	"Poor guy." Ryouga said, understanding how Konatsu felt.
	Ranma grabbed Ryouga's hand and started to drag him toward
the Okonomiyaki Restaurant. Ryouga sputtered, "Stop that, it is 
embarrassing!"
	Ranma stuck out his tongue at Ryouga and said, "More 
embarrassing than you getting lost?"
	Ryouga flushed.
	Ranma added, "So, anyway, Ucchan is looking for a couple of
waiters! And it is better than working at the Nekkohantan!" Ranma
shuddered, remembering working for Cologne.
	Ryouga tried to pull his hand free from Ranma's, saying 
"Lemme go, Ranma!"
	Ranma just kept dragging Ryouga along, saying over his 
shoulder, "Oh c'mon, P-chan! You would never make it to the 
bathroom if someone didn't lead you!"
	Calling Ryouga a pig and insulting his direction sense in 
one sentence was not a good idea.
	"RANNNNNMMMMMAAAAAA!"
	Ranma let Ryouga go and began to run toward Ucchan's, 
letting Ryouga stay close enough behind him not to get lost, but just
enough ahead to stop Ryouga from catching him. Ranma felt more
relaxed than he had in a long, LONG, time. He smiled.
	Ranma turned around, pulling down the bottom lid of one 
eye and stuck out his tongue shouting, "Biiiiiiiiii!!!!" and then 
began to laugh.
	"RANNNNNNNNNNNMMMMMMMMMMAAAAAA!"
	Ranma chuckled, and kept running.
*******
Marisa Price
marisa@gladstone.uoregon.edu
http://gladstone.uoregon.edu/~marisa/
Member of COR and UDIC.
Anime otaku forever, Medieval Studies and English major.