(DISCLAIMER : ALL GLORY TO RUMIKO TAKAHASHI, AND THIS STORY OPERATES
ON THE BASIS OF AN ALTERNATE RANMAVERSE.) ALSO, EACH PART STARTS
AND ENDS WITH A DIFFERENT DAY. ALSO THIS PART HAS NO LEMON BITS IN
IT, BUT WAIT TILL PART THREE.....
-=-=-=-=-=-==-==-=-=-=-=-=-=Part Two-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
(Morning breaks over the land of the rising sun and birds soar
above Nerima Ward, chirping their greeting song to the golden
sun ascending into the sky. Dewdrops grace the tip of each
stalk of grass and every leaf on every tree. For a short moment,
the paradise that was lost when man abandoned Nature and turned
to machinery, was present and glittered with a promise to remain till
the end of time... Then the first car backed out of its driveway and
the dream was shattered. As if by chain reaction, more cars fill the
streets within minutes and the quiet morning is drenched in the sounds
and smells of a typical Tokyo day.)
(Kasumi, always up at the crack of dawn, knocks on Akane's bedroom,
calling to the girls within and reminding them of school. Immediately
what sounds like a free-for-all ensues behind Akane's door as all the girls
doff their PJ's and pull on their uniforms, desperate to get ready and get
into school before the bell rings. Kasumi, always unruffled by any daily
event, smiles and walks over to Ranma's room and knocks on it.)
Kasumi : Ranma! Ranma! Mr. Saotome! Wake up, it's morning already! Ranma and Ranma?
The both of you have school! And I won't be home to cook lunch this afternoon so
you two have to eat out just for today.
(Inside Ranma's room....)
Ranma : SCHOOL!? I forgot! (leans over and shakes Ranma-chan) Wake up!
Ranma-chan : Huh?
Ranma : We have school! Come on, dress up!!
Ranma-chan : School...!? Omigod! (leaps out of bed and grabs her clothes)
Ranma : (grabbing his clothes) Hurry up and use the bathroom! I need it next!
(In a short while, Akane, her friends and the two Ranma's are running
to school. Ranma and Ranma-chan are running in perfect balance on the
fence, while Akane and her friends bring up the rear. They manage to get
into their classes in record time and Akane says goodbye to Yuki and Sayaka
as they head off to their classes. Everybody is already seated and waiting
for the last minute stragglers to come in. As Ranma, Ranma-chan and
Akane walk in, the whole class gasps.)
Hiroshi : Hey, who's that?
Fuzaki : That's....um...Akane's cousin, or something. She sure is cute!
Ukyo : Wh-what's going on here?
Akane : (sits in her seat) You'll find out soon enough. It's kind of a long story.
Hinako : Ranma Saotome, who's the girl with you?
Ranma : She's Akane's cousin, who came to register in this class.
Hinako : (to Ranma-chan) What's your name?
Ranma-chan : Ranko Tendo.
Hiroshi : (to Fuzaki) Ranko.....it has a nice ring to it!
Hinako : Well, Ranko. You can sit next to Ukyo over there. Ukyo, will you raise your hand
please?
Ukyo : S-sure. (raises hand)
(Ranma-chan sits next to Ukyo and class starts. When Hinako
left the room to get some notes, Ukyo turns to Ranma-chan.)
Ukyo : Ranma? (whips head to Ranma, who smiles at her) Ranma?
Ranma : We'll tell you after class. Don't wanna talk about it right now.
Hiroshi : Ranko? Didn't you win that rhythmic gymnastics tournament, fighting against Kodachi
Kuno?
Ranma-chan : Yeah, I did.
Hiroshi : You were great! You looked like you had been at it all your life!
Ranma-chan : Thanks! I trained real hard for that match.
(Hinako returns and class resumes. The moment the lunch bell
rings, Ranma-chan's desk is swamped with boys. Ranma-chan is
forced to pretend ignorance as the boys fall over themselves trying
to win her favor.)
Ranma : These guys sure are picky! First, they try to go out with Akane. Now, they're trying
to go out with my female side!
Ukyo : Ranma!! What the heck is going on here?
Ranma : Umm...well. You see, I tried to cure my curse using a special potion called a
Nullifier. Problem is that it split my male and female halves into two separate people
with the same personality and everything, mind-wise, I mean.
Ukyo : So she's really you?
Ranma : And I'm really her.
Ukyo : Oh....how does she...I mean, he feel about being stuck in a female body? It must be
horrible!
Ranma : You know, you and Akane were the only people to think of her..I mean, his feelings.
Ukyo : Really? I'd better go and rescue him. Excuse me for a sec.
(Ukyo goes to the aid of Ranma-chan, laying about with her spatula
and clearing a path to her dearest friend. Ranma-chan looked flustered,
holding a handful of paper slips with telephone numbers written on them.)
Ranma-chan : Ucchan! Save me!
Ukyo : Come on, let's get outta here!
(She grabs Ranma-chan's hand and they both leap out of the window,
to soar into the air and land, without a scratch, on the ground.)
Ukyo : Ranma! Are you feeling fine?
Ranma-chan : Of course I do! I'm not gonna let a bunch of boys try and make passes at me!
Ukyo : Then throw those slips of paper away.
Ranma-chan : (looks at the bunch of paper in her fist) Huh? Oh! (tosses them away, and they
spiral upwards in the breeze and scatter themselves into the bushes.) There, all
done!
(Ranma-chan turns back to Ukyo and sees her looking at
her closely, as if unable to comprehend something.)
Ukyo : Ranma? Is it true that...
Ranma-chan : Yup. The potion-thingy screwed up and now I'm a girl while the other Ranma
is cured. But don't worry, I'm gonna find a cure soon! After that old ghoul
remembers how to reverse the effect, I'll be back to normal!
Ukyo : You mean to say that Ranma...is cured?
Ranma-chan : Hey, I'm Ranma! I'm not cured in the least! It's the boy Ranma that's not
cursed anymore.
Ukyo : And...how do you feel?
Ranma-chan : Like I said, I feel fine! I'm not gonna let a bunch of boys.....
Ukyo : Idiot! Not the boys!! I mean, you.
Ranma-chan : Huh?
(A light breeze springs up and ruffles Ukyo's long
ponytail. She looks at Ranma for a moment longer, then
she reaches back and lets her hair loose. It immediately
dances about her face and shoulders, a shimmering mass
that highlights her features and complements her natural
and graceful curves.)
Ukyo : Ranma...I have something to say.
Ranma-chan : Go..go on.
Ukyo : Ever since we were little, we always played together. We were the best of friends,
though we certainly didn't act like it.
Ranma-chan : Yeah, I always won in the okonomiyaki contest.....
Ukyo : Remember the time we went out into the meadow and pretended we were on safari,
hunting dangerous animals?
Ranma-chan : (laughs) Oh yeah! That time! We didn't get home until dark. Pop gave me a
long lecture on that!
Ukyo : And mine gave me a leathering.
Ranma-chan : What? You never told me that!
Ukyo : I was so ashamed, I didn't want to see you for a week.
Ranma-chan : Yeah, you gave me some excuse for not showing up at the okonomiyaki cart
every morning for a whole week.
Ukyo : We were such silly kids back then! (Ranma-chan and Ukyo laugh at this)
(Somehow, Ranma-chan sensed that that wasn't all that
Ukyo wanted to say to her. Ranma-chan waits patiently
for Ukyo to find the words.)
Ukyo : (takes a deep breath) I love you, Ranma. I really do. Even back when we were kids,
I think I still loved you back then.
Ranma-chan : Ukyo...(puts hand on Ukyo's) I already know that. But this is not what you
wanted to say to me. Come on, say it or we'll be late for class!
Ukyo : I'm confused...I don't know what to think anymore. Ever since the other Ranma told
me what happened, my world has been turned upside down.
Ranma-chan : Upside down? What are you talking about?
Ukyo : The other Ranma isn't cursed anymore, right?
Ranma-chan : Right....and?
Ukyo : What if...what if.....you...OH! I can't say it! (turns away from Ranma-chan)
Ranma-chan : Huh? What if I.....?
Ukyo : Ranma. No matter what happens (turns back) I will still keep you in my heart. I love
you, Ranma. (starts to cry but she wipes the tears away)
Ranma-chan : Ukyo...what..? What did I do?
Ukyo : You did nothing. But you did everything!
Ranma-chan : I did nothing, but I also did everything? What does that mean?
(Ukyo tentatively pulls Ranma-chan into a hug with
her, trying to stifle the tears but only succeeding
marginally. Ranma-chan returns the hug, uncertain
of how to deal with the situation. The school bell rings
once, to remind students that breaktime is almost over.
Ukyo and Ranma-chan speed back into class.)
Ukyo : Sorry. I'm so sorry, Ranma. I don't know what came over me back there.
Ranma-chan : (under her breath) Neither do I.
(Class proceeds as normal but Ukyo kept finding herself
inundated with tears. She couldn't focus nor concentrate
on the task of learning. She loves Ranma, but she cannot
love Ranma! She suddenly found herself looking at Ranma,
who seemed quite unconcerned about his normalness, and
she suddenly found herself wishing that he was still cursed.
For no matter how much she tried, she couldn't bring herself
to abandon one Ranma for the other. She loved Ranma, but
she cannot love two people, much less a girl. She looks over
at Ranma-chan, also seemingly unconcerned about her girl
body, and she sighs heavily and lays her head on her arms.)
Hinako : Ukyo, is something the matter? Are you taking notes?
Ukyo : W-what? Oh..um.....I don't feel too well. Can I please go home?
Hinako : (walking up to Ukyo) What's wrong with your eyes? Why are they red?
Ranma : (looking over, thinking) Red? Has she been crying?
Ukyo : (lowers her head) Can I go home? Please?
Hinako : (looks over at Ranma) Ranma! Did you have something to do with this?
Ranma : Me?! Why me?
Hinako : I heard the whole story....she's your fiancee and.....
Ukyo : I have to go. I'm sorry. (she gets up and runs from the room, books in hand)
Akane : Ukyo?
Hinako : Well, I guess I can let this one go. Okay, class. Back to the blackboard!
(classes end and the students are let out. Ranma, Ranma-chan
and Akane are walking home.)
Ranma : Ranma, why was Ukyo crying?
Ranma-chan : Beats me. She said something about her loving me no matter what, or something
like that.
Akane : Poor Ukyo. Her world must be turned upside down ever since that Nullifier went
wrong....
Ranma-chan : You know, that's what exactly what she said! And when I asked her whether I
did something wrong, she said I did nothing but I did everything.
Ranma : That doesn't make sense.
Akane : You're right, but I have a feeling that I should know what she meant by that...
Ranma-chan : Now that you mention it, I have it on the tip of my tongue but I just can't get it.
Ranma : I don't have a clue. Well, where shall we go for lunch today?
Ranma : That's right, I almost forgot! Kasumi won't be home today.
Akane : Well, let's go to Ucchan's. She'll give us a free meal and she can tell us what's
wrong! (thinking also, so we won't have to go to Nekohanten)
Ranma : Good idea. I sure hope she's alright.
Ranma-chan : Hey, Akane. When since did you start caring for Ukyo? I mean, you, Shampoo
and Ukyo are always at each other's throats!
Akane : With Shampoo, not with Ukyo, stupid! I've never actually fought with her.
(The three reach Ucchan's. A crowd of people are standing
outside the restaurant.)
Ranma : What's happening?
Bystander : It's closed, but why? I hope she's not going out of business; her okonomiyakis are
the best!
Akane : Hey, there's a sign! "Ucchan's Okonomiyaki closed for the week"?!
Ranma-chan : There must be something wrong! C'mon, let's go in!
(The three push past the crowd and enter the darkened
restaurant. All is quiet inside; no where could they hear
the sound of activity. Ranma-chan goes up the stairs and
goes to Ukyo's bedroom door, followed by Ranma and Akane.)
Ukyo : (behind door) Ranma. Please, go.
Ranma-chan : Ucchan? What's wrong?
Ukyo : I'm going...I'm going to go on a trip. I-I think I need one.
Akane : Ukyo? What did Ranma do?
Ukyo : He did nothing. Nothing at all. But then, he did everything. I'm so confused.
Ranma : (goes to open door) Hey, Ukyo...
Ukyo : Don't open the door. I don't want you to see me like this. Go. Please go.
Akane : Ukyo, can I come in?
(There is a long silence, then the door opens a crack
and Ukyo's hand beckons Akane inside. Akane goes
in and Ukyo shuts the door. Ukyo's back is turned
to her.)
Akane : Ukyo, what's wrong? (sits on her bed and looks at her pillow. It is soaked.)
Ukyo : It's so hard to explain. I don't know if I can go on with it.
Akane : C'mon, let's put aside our differences. You and I are....well...not friends but I don't
like to see anybody unhappy.
Ukyo : Akane......you're so kind. (sits next to Akane, face lowered.)
Akane : Come on, tell me why. If Ranma didn't do anything to you, then what's the problem?
Ukyo : Well.....it's like..(there's a scratching sound from Ukyo's closet)
Akane : What's that?
Ukyo : I don't know. (the sound comes again)
(Ukyo uses her spatula to open the closet and P-Chan
walks out, squealing angrily.)
Akane : P-Chan! Where have you been? (P-Chan leaps into her arms)
Ukyo : Honestly, Akane. I don't know how he came to be in my room.
Akane : That's okay, Ukyo. He likes to travel. (P-Chan grunts at that) Would you like to
hold him? (offers P-Chan to Ukyo, seeing that she has a need to hold something)
Ukyo : Thanks, Akane. (latches onto P-Chan and pets him.)
Akane : Are you ready to tell me?
Ukyo : (takes a deep breath, then lets it out with a whoosh) Yes. You know by now that I
love Ranchan. And now that he's cured, it should make things so much easier between
us, no offense Akane. But it's not easier. The other Ranma is the same as the boy
Ranma. I cannot love two people, no matter how much I try, and I certainly cannot
give my love to a girl....! (P-Chan's eyes widen in confusion)
Akane : So that's why...! And you're going on this trip....
Ukyo : So I can sort out my feelings. I feel as if a god had reached down from the heavens
and ripped out my heart....I love Ranma, but I can't! I can't deny Ranchan, the girl
one I mean, but I also can't do it with a girl!
Akane : Shampoo's great-great-grandmother might have a cure. So, have some faith!
Ukyo : What if she doesn't? That's what I'm afraid of. Maybe if I go away on a trip, I might
come back and find out that all this was just a nightmare.
Akane : What about your business?
Ukyo : The only reason why I opened a business here was because of Ranchan. I knew how
much he liked to eat okonomiyaki, so I figured I had a better chance to win him over
with the food.....
Akane : He has a stomach like a bottomless pit, that's for sure!
(The two sit on the bed, saying nothing for a long time.
Ukyo, torn between two incarnations of the man she loves,
Akane, patiently waiting for Ukyo to speak more of her
mind.)
Ukyo : If only Ranchan didn't do this. Now things are so much more complicated.
Akane : What did he do to you? What did you mean when you said that he did nothing, yet
he did everything?
Ukyo : He did nothing to me, but he used the Nullifier on himself. Now, I'm torn between
the two of them. In a sense, he did this to me. But I don't blame him. I mean,
anybody would try their hardest to get rid of their curse, right?
Akane : But Cologne told him not to use the potion!
Ukyo : What? Why?
Akane : She wasn't quite sure what would happen if he did. But then she remembered and came
back, too late, to tell us.
Ukyo : What would it have done?
Akane : Umm...err...let's just say that the girl Ranma would become...err..pregnant.
Ukyo : By whom? Tell me!
Akane : (sotto voice) Ranma.
Ukyo : Ranma?
Akane : Some stupid spell, or something. Trust me, Ukyo, you really don't want to know.
Ukyo : This must be a nightmare. I'm gonna pack, so I can get the heck out of here, for a
while at least.
Akane : I only wish it were, Ukyo. Here, I'll help you.
(As the two girls pack in silence, P-Chan goes out of the room
and bumps into Ranma-chan's legs. He looks up and sees Ranma
and Ranma-chan looming over him. He blinks his eyes once, then
twice, to make sure that he wasn't seeing double. Ranma-chan
picks him up and gives him condensed version of what had happened
so far. Akane and Ukyo walk out of their room then, carrying two
suitcases.)
Ranma : So, Ucchan. You're really going away?
Ukyo : On a vacation. God knows that I need one, from my restaurant duties, my schoolwork
and....the both of you.
Ranma-chan : Huh?
Ukyo : Never mind. I only hope that I wake up from this and find out that this was all just
a bad dream. Goodbye, Ranma. Thanks, Akane.
(With that, she takes the suitcase from Akane and leaves
without another word. Ranma and Ranma-chan see her
off, watching her retreating figure disappear down the
road. Ranma-chan's stomach growls.)
Ranma-chan : Boy, am I hungry!
Ranma : That's right! I forgot all about my stomach!
Akane : Your childhood friend has gone away and you're thinking about food?! (her stomach
growls then)
Ranma-chan : Looks like we're not the only ones thinking of food!
Akane : (growls at her) Shut up. Come on, let's get it over with.
(The three troop to Nekohanten. As usual, the place is
packed, but the three manage to find a table. Within a
minute or so, Cologne hops over to their table with
three bowls of ramen balanced on one hand. She sets
them down on the table. Ranma-chan hands P-Chan
back to Akane, who tucks him in her left arm.)
Ranma : Where's Shampoo? Your hands seem kinda full now, with all these people in here.
(*Crack* The cup in Akane's hand shatters into pieces.
She looks over at the mess on the table underneath her
hand in shock. Cologne narrows her eyes.)
Cologne : You will, of course, reimburse me for the price of that cup, dearie.
Akane : S-sorry. I guess I was gripping it a little too hard.
Ranma-chan : (rolls her eyes) Funny how that always seems to happen whenever Shampoo
is mentioned.
Cologne : Yes, isn't it fascinating? Anyhow, Shampoo's out delivering. She won't be back
until late tonight.
Ranma-chan : Have you remembered whether or not there's a cure for my condition?
Cologne : No, I don't know. Well, I've got to be going. If you want to talk some more, come
back later at night. (she leaps away and sees to the customers - the paying ones, that
is.)
(The three finish their ramen and head back home. By now
it's late afternoon, approaching evening. Ranma-chan throws
herself full on the couch and turns the TV on. Akane walks
up to Ranma-chan.)
Akane : Ranma, could you hold P-Chan for me? I'm going to go to the washroom for a sec,
and I don't want him wandering about.
Ranma-chan : Give him to me. (Akane hands P-Chan to Ranma-chan and walks off)
P-Chan : Bu-kii! (looks at Ranma-chan, eyes narrowed)
Ranma-chan : You're no catch yourself, pig. Now, shut up and lemme watch TV. (She hugs
P-Chan to her chest and P-Chan's entire head turned red with all the blood
rushing to his head.)
P-Chan : Kwee! Kwee!
Ranma-chan : What's that, piggy? (evil grin)
P-Chan : (points at his snout) BU-KIII!!
Ranma-chan : Oh yeah, the nosebleed thing. (grins at P-Chan) Of course I know. (quickly
sets an angry P-Chan on the couch, who points his snout up in the air and takes
deep breaths of air)
(Ranma walks up to the couch, holding a bag of
chips in one hand and a can of pop in the other.)
Ranma : Hey, move it! Where am I gonna sit?
Ranma-chan : Oh, okay. (she merely pulls her legs in, leaving a small space for Ranma to sit
in)
Ranma : Well, thanks a lot for the big space! (he sits down)
Ranma-chan : Anytime. Gimme some chips.
(Ranma gives her a handful of chips and Ranma-chan
devours them. Ranma puts the can of pop on the floor.
Promptly Ranma-chan grabs it and takes a swig from it.)
Ranma : Hey, that's my pop!
Ranma-chan : So that makes it mine as well.
Ranma : Gimme that back! (he swipes the can from Ranma-chan's hands and drinks the whole
thing. While he was drinking all the contents of the can, Ranma-chan sneaks a handful
of chips from the bag.)
Ranma-chan : (between munches) Do you....think there.....really is a cure for....me?
Ranma : Why shouldn't there be? (looks in his bag of chips and sees a handful missing.)
Ranma-chan : Well, if that three-hundred-year-old ghoul doesn't know, how are we supposed
to know? (sounds pretty depressed)
Ranma : She just didn't remember, that's all.
(Ranma-chan changes channels. It is a TV documentary
on the differences in thinking between men and women.
Ranma-chan watches it in silence while Ranma fidgets
about. Eventually he held out a hand to Ranma-chan.)
Ranma : Here, gimme that remote.
Ranma-chan : No, I wanna watch this.
Ranma : That's just a stupid documentary! Let me have it, let's watch something more
interesting.
Ranma-chan : And this isn't interesting?
Ranma : No!
Ranma-chan : Well, I think it's interesting. So, you can't have the remote.
(Ranma made a grab for the remote but Ranma-chan
clutches it close to herself. Growling, he launched
himself onto Ranma-chan, who squealed and fought
to keep the remote from Ranma's grasp. The two
wrestle on the couch, Ranma on top and trying to
rip the remote from Ranma-chan's hands, Ranma-chan
laughing and enjoying herself. Akane walks into the
living room - and sees Ranma straddling Ranma-chan,
who was struggling against Ranma's superior strength.
Akane stands there for a while longer, wondering if
she should run over and give Ranma a good whack
on the head, when Ranma finally pulls the remote
free from Ranma-chan's hands and held it over his
head.)
Ranma : Finally! Now, let's watch something with action in it.
Ranma-chan : (still laughing) That was great! Let's do it again!
Akane : Do what again?
Ranma : Uh, Akane! Umm...(looks at the remote in his hands)
Ranma-chan : We were just fighting over the remote, jeez. As if you have anything to worry
about when I'm around him...after all we're the same person.
Ranma : Hey, it wasn't like that at all!!
Ranma-chan : (grins from ear to ear) Just kidding!
Ranma : Oh yeah? Just kidding, you say. (picks up a pillow and whacks her)
Ranma-chan : Ohh! So you wanna fight dirty? (grabs two pillows and whacks him)
(The two release their pent-up tension with a good-natured
pillow fight, Ranma-chan hitting Ranma twice as much as
he did her, but Ranma's blows had more force behind them.
The impromptu pillow fight dissipates in heartfelt laughter
from the two of them, joined by Akane after she saw the
innocence behind everything. There is a knock on the door,
a polite rap-rap designed to draw just enough attention for the
inhabitants to notice. Akane gets up and goes to the door.)
Akane : I'll get it! (she opens the sliding door)
Nodoka : Good afternoon, Akane-chan!
Akane : M-Mrs. Saotome?! I'm sorry, we weren't expecting you at all!
Nodoka : (bows) I'm sorry, I should call or write before I come to visit. Next time, dear, I'll
remember.
(She removes her shoes and walks into the living room,
and the first thing she saw was Ranma-chan's familiar
form lying on the couch.)
Nodoka : Good afternoon, Ranko!
Ranma-chan : Ran..ko? (slowly turns around) Oh!! M-Mrs. Saotome!
Nodoka : I'm sorry, I know you weren't expecting me to visit so....(trails off when she sees
a well-built figure with black hair tied back in a pigtail, sitting next to Ranma-chan.)
Ranma : (turns around slow-like) M-Mom?
Nodoka : Ranma!! You're finally back!!
(Nodoka drops everything and hastens to Ranma's side,
and hugs him so tight that he had difficulty breathing.
Ranma-chan watches in shock, not fully comprehending
what was happening.)
Nodoka : You're real!! You're back! How have you been?!
Ranma : Umm...fine, mom.
Ranma-chan : Hey...(lifts a hand)
Nodoka : Forgive me, Ranko-chan. I haven't seen my son for sixteen years! It's only fair that
I finally get to see him now! I pray that this is not a dream......
Soun : (walks in) Nodoka! What a pleasant surprise!
Nodoka : (still hugging Ranma) If I may ask, where's Genma?
Genma : (walks in at that moment) D-dear?
Nodoka : Genma! My son is a man among men! The Saotome family honor is preserved (looks
meaningfully at her sword-shaped bundle). See how handsome and strong he is?
Genma : Likewise, I'm as happy and proud as you are....s-see how well I raised him?
Ranma-chan : Yeah right. Animals woulda raised me better than you did. Actually, come to
think about it, Pop *is* an animal. A panda, to be exact.
Nodoka : What's that, Ranko? (starts cooing over Ranma, who looks embarassed)
Ranma-chan : Nothing. Nothing at all. (takes one last look at Ranma, who shrugs in apology,
and she leaves the living room.)
Akane : Ranma? What's wrong?
Ranma-chan : Here she is, after a long while, and she finally sees me. My male form, I mean.
Akane : I understand, Ranma.
(She remembers the many times she had seen Ranma-chan's
shoulders slump whenever Nodoka visited. Although she
had the Ranko role down pat and she could truly act like
a real girl, Akane would always see the glimmer of pain
in her eyes, the slight jerkiness of her movements, the
overly-feigned high-pitched Ranko voice. Ranma-chan
heaves a big sigh and leaves the living room, and goes
up to her bedroom.)
Nodoka : Ranma, why aren't you more happy to see your dear, old mom again?
Ranma : I....am happy. I really am. I'm just, well, in shock.
Nodoka : Come on, dear. Let's go sit down and you can tell me all about your training. Your
mom's here to stay and I promise I'll make you the happiest son in the world. I have
a special meal that I'll cook right after you tell me of your travels! (hugs him again)
Ranma : O-okay. (looks after Ranma-chan's retreating figure.)
(Inside her room, Ranma-chan reaches back and deliberately
pulls her hair tie off. Her pigtail untwirls and spreads out into
a fan of red hair, covering half of her back. She brushes it out
with her fingers and looks into a mirror. How different I look
without a pigtail, she thought to herself. Now, even more so,
she looked like any normal girl, and she was a little disturbed
by that. She quickly ties the pigtail back on and flops down on
her bed, letting the soft futon accept her body and comfort it.
It's not fair, she repeated over and over in her mind, tears coming
out even though she tried hard to keep them in. Downstairs, the
chatter increased in volume, as Nodoka lets all her pent-up emotion
out, gathered over 16 years. She could hear Ranma telling Nodoka
about his training and journeys to many places, and Nodoka
exclaiming in joy and happiness. Ranma-chan pulls the comforter
closer to her, trying to find solitude in the dark confines of her
room, but she fails. At last, she grabs Ranma's pillow and stuffs it
around her ears. With the sound muffled, she drifted in and out of
sleep, always on the edge of the land of dreams, but never setting
foot within that fabled country for the sounds of merriment from
below keep her from sleeping. Her door opens and somebody
steps inside.)
Akane : Ranma?
Ranma-chan : Go 'way. Just leave me alone.
Akane : Ranma, I can't. Not now, not when you're like this.
Ranma-chan : Since when did you care?! My life hasn't been normal since I got this curse....
Akane : C'mon, stop feeling sorry for yourself. (kneels beside Ranma-chan)
Ranma-chan : I can't. I'm only Ranko to my mom, not...not (lets out a sharp sob) Ranma..!
Akane : Ranma?
(Nodoka's voice from downstairs) : Akane! Akane! Where's my son's fiancee?! Come back,
Akane, so I can see how well the both of you go together!
Akane : ACK!! I can't believe she just yelled tha-....Ranma?
(Akane sees her silently shaking with tears that rage against
the barrier of her eyelids and try to burst forth from her, but
she holds it back with willpower. Akane puts a hand on
Ranma-chan's shoulder and the dam bursts. The tears flow
freely and Ranma-chan softly cries for herself. Akane hesitates
for a second, then she tries to pull Ranma-chan into a hug, but
Ranma-chan refused to move.)
Ranma-chan : *sniff* A-Akane. You'd better go to them. I wanna be alone.
Akane : But.....
Ranma-chan : (whirls on her) JUST GO! I'M BROKEN-HEARTED, OR CAN'T YOU SEE
THAT?!!
Akane : Ranma.....(she gets up and walks from the room, closing the door as she did so.)
Ranma-chan : Stupid Akane...(shakes as a new bout of tears assails her). It's not fair...
(Sleep soon overtakes Ranma-chan, delivering her to the dream
country, where all cares and worries are forgotten. The same
landscape from before, with the flowing grasses and enigmatic
mountain ranges capped with a layer of white snow. Ranma-chan
takes a walk through the tall grasses, not flying this time. A
forest looms up in front of her and she enters the treeline. The
sunlight filters through the canopy and dapples the clearing
in front of her with bright spots of light. A pool was in the middle
of the clearing, deep, sparkling, and mysterious. Without knowing
why, she steps up to the pool and looks into the still waters. A single
drop of water fell from the canopy and struck the placid surface, disturbing
the tranquility and creating ripples that flowed outwards to the edge of
the pool. A face formed in the waters, with flowing hair and sharp
features. It was a man, and he was handsome. He turned to face
Ranma-chan and he said something, but Ranma-chan couldn't make
out what he was saying. The face moved away from the pool
and the full figure of the man could be seen. He put an open palm
out and a bottle of a white liquid appeared in his hands. On it were
marked the numbers "221". He started to walk toward Ranma-chan,
the bottle held in his hand, but the dream image shimmered and
dissolved. Ranma-chan fell into the dark realm of dreamlessness,
and the next change in her body chemistry occured. She moaned,
tossed, and turned as her body adjusted itself according to a schedule
known in full only by itself. The night is especially silent and the
radiance from a thousand stars streamed through the window and
bathed the sleeping body of Ranma-chan in starlight.)
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-End Part Two-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Author's note : I know this may seem pretty short compared to Part One, but I have the parts
separated into days. Whatever happens in one day is one part, and if relatively little happens
that day (or part), then the part is quite small. Wait for Part Three though, more lemon, longer
than part one but nearly finished....