[Ranma] "Scarlet Spring" (6/?)

By Henry J. Cobb

$Id: scarlet_spring6.txt,v 1.4 1997/01/11 16:11:25 hcobb Exp $



The Ranma 1/2 characters and situations are the creation of Rumiko

Takahashi.  No infringement of her copyrights is intended.



Special thanks to Sebastian Weinberg for the memory-block flip-flop

effect.



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So far:



Akane met Shampoo (Xian-ko) in China six years ago, when she stayed in

her house while recovering from a fever she picked up in a cursed

spring.



Now Shampoo has returned seeking vengeance against Akane (possibly for

the villagers who must have died from the fever Akane brought), but she

seems willing to give it up for Ranma's love.



Akane doesn't really mind giving up her fiancee, especially not to her

best friend, as she was only using him to humor her dad and advance her

status at school, but Ranma hates the amazon.



Akane has lost track of both Shampoo and Ranma, when he went to deal

with her, and has now encountered another Akane Tendo, her exact

duplicate.



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Akane stared at the other Akane.  She was Akane, perfect from her bare

feet, the way her body wore the gi, her hands held in a defensive block,

her suspicious face, even the way she held her bluish-black ponytail.

The only difference between the two girls was that Akane still wore her

school uniform dress and the other Akane was in Akane's own training gi.



P-chan, looked back and forth between the two Akanes.  "Bwee?"



"Surely, we can settle this without violence?"  Akane asked.



"Oh, how, you phony?"  The other Akane threw back.



"We could ask somebody that knows me, er us."



"An excellent idea, I know just the man."



"Who?"



"Why Dr Tofu of course.  No man knows me better.  Now, hand me back my

pig."



"Sure, here you go."  Akane handed P-chan to the other Akane.  It was a

risk, but surely P-chan's reaction would expose the forgery.



"My poor baby, did she hurt you?"  The other Akane scratched P-chan

behind the ears.  He looked up at her, then sighed and snuggled into her

arms.



"So Akane,"  Akane asked the other Akane as they walked to the

doctor's.  "how did you wind up in the park?"



"I challenged Shampoo, but she pulled some dirty tricks.  I'll get her

later."



"I thought Shampoo was your, er our, friend?"



"Yeah, so did I, until she comes here from China, trying to kill me."



"Then why did you challenge her?"



"She tried to cook up my P-chan for lunch.  Are you OK baby?"



The pig nodded.



"Why would she do that?"



"I don't know, maybe she meant it as a peace offering or some twisted insult."



This girl seemed to know a lot about Akane, but not everything.

Suddenly a missing piece slipped into place.  "You're the girl who beat

Kodachi in the gymnastic match, aren't you?"



"Are you blind?  Don't you read the school paper?  Of course I, Akane

Tendo, beat Kodachi, with a little help from P-chan."  The other Akane

brought P-chan up to eye level.  "You were so brave.  Mommy's proud of

her little baby."  She gave him a kiss on the snout.



"Hello Akane and Akane, what can I do for you today?"  Doctor Tofu asked

as the pair entered his office.



He's always such a kidder.  "Doctor, we've got a problem.  Can you tell

which one of us is the real Akane Tendo?"



"It's not the sort of thing I usually do, but I can give it a try.  Sit

up here you two, while I take a look."



Dr Tofu used his fingers to probe at Akane's face and head then did the

same to the other Akane.  "Hmmm... neither one of you is wearing a mask

or any significant amount of makeup and I can't find any scars from

cosmetic surgery.  For the moment, I'll need some means to tell you

apart.  I'll call the Akane in the Gi, Akane Green and the Akane in the

school dress Akane Blue, OK?"



Both Akanes nodded.



"But, I have found something interesting.  Akane Green here seems to be

suffering from Xi Fa Xiang Gao."  Dr Tofu examined the top of the other

Akane's head again.



"What's that?"  Akane asked.



"It's an ancient Chinese memory manipulation technique that involves

washing the head with a mixture of rare herbs."



"So, she's been brainwashed to think she's me?"



"Hey!"  The other Akane objected.



"No, Xi Fa Xiang Gao can only delete memories, not add new ones.  She

could be the real Akane, operating under this handicap to make your

forgery more compelling.  Or we could be meant to think so, to cover up

for her failures to properly mimic you.  This is devious."



"Isn't there some cure for it?"  Akane asked.



"There is an antidote, but it requires a mixture of rare herbs.  I can

write to some associates in China, but it will take several weeks to

gather all the ingredients."



"I can solve this."  The other Akane placed P-chan on the table and

stood up.  "Use your heart Dr Tofu.  Kasumi thinks you're just the

family doctor and an old friend of daddy's.  She doesn't love you, the

way I do."  She hugged him.



"B-b-but, what of Ranma?"  The doctor stood frozen.  "D-d-don't you love

him?"



"Who?  No, you're my only love.  Open your heart to the truth."



"No!"  Dr Tofu threw the other Akane aside and ran into the wall.

"Kasumi, is it true?"  He sobbed at the feet of Betty his skeleton.



"What is it darling?"  The other Akane asked him.



"Come on, he's no help."  Akane said.  This is the worst he's ever

been.  He needs help.  "Come on, let's go ask the family."  Akane picked

up P-chan, grabbed the other Akane by the hand and sprinted out the

door.



"What's the rush?"  The other Akane asked while she trailed in the air

behind Akane.



"Don't you want this resolved quickly?"  Akane asked into her

slipstream.



When they returned home, there wasn't anybody in the living room, but

the sounds of cooking could be heard from the kitchen.



"Why don't you go up to your room and change?"  Akane pointed up the

stairs.  "I'll gather the family together."



Akane watched her twin climb the the stairs, then rushed into the

kitchen.



"Kasumi!"  Akane ran to her sister.  "You have to go to Dr Tofu and tell

him whatever it is you feel about him."



"Akane, are you OK?"  Kasumi reached out to hold her sister's hands.



Was she OK?  What had happened to her crush on the doctor?  It was gone,

but Akane didn't have any time to think about that now.  "Yes, I'm fine,

but I fear for his life.  You must go to him now."



"Oh, my!"  Kasumi turned off the stove, took off her apron, put on her

jacket and headed out the door.



As Akane headed back across the living room, somebody else entered by

the back door.



"Shampoo win match.  Akane forget all about Ranma."



"What did you do to Ranma?"  Akane asked Shampoo.



Shampoo's eyes narrowed in suspicion.  "Akane know Ranma?"



"What are you babbling about Shampoo?"  Ranma walked down the stairs in

his red suit, followed by his father Genma.



"Shampoo win match.  Ranma Shampoo's now."



"I don't know whatever it is you're talking about, but you'd best keep

your distance."



"Ranma, why are you always so mean to Shampoo?"  Akane asked him.



"Because she deserves it, but who are you?"  Ranma looked at Akane in

puzzlement.



"Ranma, that's not funny!  I'm your fiancee, for heavens sake."



"I don't think I have a fiancee.  Hey pop, did you engage me to this

strange girl?"



"Ranma, that's Akane, how could you forget her?"  Genma asked.



"Well, I never saw her before in my life."



"What's up, you two have a fight?"  Nabiki came down the steps.



"Hi Nabiki."  Ranma greeted her.  "It seems my pop's engaged me to some

girl."



Me, it's me.  He's forgotten only about me.



"Ranma, how many daughters does Mr Tendo have?"  Akane asked him.



"That's a silly question.  He's got two, Nabiki here and Kasumi."



It's true, another person with amnesia, but what happened to my twin?

Akane rushed up to her room but found no sign of the other Akane.  After

a brief search she found her gi in the bathroom hamper, but none of her

other outfits were missing.  My exact twin is wandering around Nerima,

naked!



Ring!



Akane answered the phone.  "Hello?"



"Hello Akane, I've got a favor to ask you."



"Yes Kasumi, is Doc Tofu OK?"



"Yes, he's Ugh! great.  But I'm afraid I'll be delayed for a while.

Could you finish up supper please?"



"Sure Kasumi, see you soon."



Why had Kasumi been so short of breath?  Had she run all the way to the

doctor's?  It seemed so unlike her.



Akane finished the meal as best she could, and if the rest of the family

were disappointed. most of them didn't say anything about it.



"This new cook of yours Soun, she isn't very good."  Ranma announced.

"Now, if she was cute, I could understand your keeping her around."



"My daughter Akane is your fiancee.  How could you say such a thing?"



"It's OK father."  Akane reached out for her father's hand.  "Ranma just

isn't himself at the moment."



Tuesday morning on the way to school.  Akane walked on the sidewalk

behind Ranma on the fence.



Akane stepped on a leaf and Ranma spun around.



"Who are you?"  He asked her.



"I'm Akane Tendo, your fiancee."



"Oh."  He turned around and continued onto school.  He was having less

and less trouble ignoring her.



At school, Akane remained quietly a few steps behind Ranma.  At lunch,

she sat across from him, as he chatted with his friends.  The cafeteria

was abuzz in whispers.



"Yo, Ranma, you and Akane have a fight?"  Hiroshi asked him.



"Never heard of her in my life."  Ranma answered as Akane looked down at

the table.



Doctor Tofu joined them for supper that night.  Whenever he or Kasumi

would see the other they'd smile.  The nervousness seemed to be gone.

At least one thing was working out.



After dinner, the doctor approached Soun.  "Sir, there's something, you

see we, I, I mean, I want to, I."



"You're here to see Ranma, right?"  Akane asked him.



Kasumi seemed to be somehow annoyed at Akane's interruption.



"Yes, that's it!  How are you today Ranma?"  The doctor asked him.



"I'm feeling great, nothing wrong with me."



Akane stepped up to Ranma.  "Ranma, who's your fiancee?"



"I don't have a fiancee.  Yo, pop, did you engage me to somebody?"



Dr Tofu examined Ranma's head.  "Yes another case of Xi Fa Xiang Gao.

I'll have to order those herbs tomorrow.  What happened to that other

girl?"



"I don't know."  Akane replied.  "She seems to have vanished."



Wednesday afternoon Ryouga came to Akane as she waited outside the Dojo

while Ranma did his exercises.



"Akane, would you like to go out for a soda or something?"



"I know what you're doing."  Akane looked up at Ryouga.  "Please don't

bother."



"I see."  He turned away, with tears in his eyes.



Ryouga is always so sensitive.  I guess I should have let him try and

cheer me up.



That night P-chan was missing.



By Thursday the other girls at school were doing Janken.  Naturally they

didn't invite Akane into their game.



Friday morning, Akane followed Ranma in the school gate.



Tatewaki approached them, with a banquet of roses in his arm.



"You looking for a fight Kuno?"  Ranma asked him.



"No, I am simply here to ask fair Akane for a date."



"Oh."  Ranma walked into the school.



"I already have a fiancee!"  Akane trashed the Blue Thunder in record

time, then hurried after Ranma.



Friday evening, Akane sat in the tub.



The door opened and Ranma entered the bathroom.  He walked to the sink

and began to brush his teeth.



I want to scream bloody murder.  I want to slap him.  I want to grab

something big and heavy and knock him over the head with it.  I want to

shake him until he acknowledges that I exist.  But, it's not his fault.

I wonder, if I got out of the tub, naked and wet, and hugged him, would

he even notice?



Ranma finished his dental care, flashed his winning smile at the mirror

and left the bathroom.



Later, Akane lay alone in her room, when she heard a loud slap from

Ranma's room.  She met Shampoo at his door.



"And stay out!"  Ranma's angry glare stopped for only a moment on

Akane, then moved on.



"Come on, let's get something for that."  Akane took Shampoo's hand that

wasn't being held to her cheek.



Akane handed Shampoo the ice pack and sat down next to her in the dining

room.  Isn't it strange how I can use ice for first aid OK, but the

moment I try to use it in cooking...  "You should have made Ranma forget

yourself, not me.  Now he hates you without knowing why.  You'll never

talk him out of it.  This can't continue.  Will you help put Ranma

right?"



"Shampoo sorry.  Shampoo no bring antidote."



"Why did you bring the drug?  You hadn't met Ranma before you arrived."



"Shampoo bring shampoo for Akane's father, after Akane dealt with."



"That's very considerate of you.  Do me a favor OK?"



"What?"



"If you do go through with that plan, please make him forget his dead

wife too.  He'll sleep a lot easier that way."



"Ak-ko tease Shampoo so."



"But, you will help with Ranma?  I warn you, it's gonna hurt."



"Shampoo deserve it.  Shampoo treat friend so."



Saturday morning, the two girls entered the Dojo, while Ranma was

practicing his kata.



Ranma ignored Akane and glared at Shampoo.



"Why do you hate Shampoo so?"  Akane asked.



"Because she's such a bimbo."  He replied, without looking at Akane.



"Then why did you challenge her?"



"Because she's a threat."



"To whom?"



"To public safety.  She's a rouge animal.  She outta be deported."



"Do you hate her for her accent?  She could learn better Japanese, if

only she tried."



"No, that's not it."



"Do you hate the way she smells?  She could wash more often, if only

you'd ask her."



"Ak-ko tease Shampoo so."  Shampoo seemed to be getting confused and a

little annoyed.  Good.



"Do you hate her society?  The way she was brought up, sleeping with the

livestock?  She can't help that."



"Ak-ko not being funny."



"Do you hate her for her marriage claim on you?  She didn't write the

Amazon laws, it's not her fault if they're stupid."



"Akane not say such things!"



"But what an unfortunate side effect."  Akane pointed towards Shampoo.

"They only breed with men dim enough to be taken in by their marriage

law, and so each generation is dumber and meaner."



That had her.  "Akane!"  Shampoo snarled and leaped.  She batted Akane's

defenses aside and forced her back.



Akane looked towards Ranma, but he just stood there, confused.



The distraction was just the opening Shampoo needed.  She gave Akane a

sharp kick to the midsection, knocking her down.  Shampoo pounced on top

of Akane and started bashing her head against the floor.



Stunned, Akane didn't resist as the lights faded away.  The last thing

she heard was Ranma's cry of "Akane!"



Sometime later, the room swam into focus.  Akane glanced around, she was

at Dr Tofu's, on a cot.



"Akane, are you OK?"  Ranma was sitting next to her.



"No, I'm not.  My head is killing me.  What's up?"



"The Doc said you have a mild concussion, but you should be OK."



He looks so worried.  "Thanks for saving me."  Akane reached her hand

out to Ranma and he took it in his.  It felt very comforting.

Everything was back to normal.



"That was stupid, getting Shampoo to kill you just so I'd react."



"I'll try and think of something better next time."



Ranma grinned at her.  "Where have you been this past week?"



"Right behind you most of the time, Baka."



"It was wired.  There was this blank spot following me around.  It's

good to have you back."



"It's good to be back."



When they returned to the Dojo, Shampoo had vanished.



	Henry J. Cobb	hcobb@slip.net          http://www.io.com/~hcobb