This is good, but brutal to the extreme and possessed of
only a moderately happy ending. Consider yourself warned.
HTG
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Ranma 1/2: Poison
By Adrian Wong <awong@delasalle.toronto.on.ca>
Hi! This is Adrian Wong. My second fanfic, Poison, is a dark, suspense
thriller about Ranma's sudden change in behaviour. The story will reveal
a dark, hideous event (my creation) in Ranma's past that was blocked out
of his memory by formula 110 (what else?). As the memory was released. .
. Well, read the story and find out! By the way, my current email
address <awong@delasalle.toronto.on.ca> will expire after June,96. I
shall submit my new email address to The Anime Toshokans by then. Thanks!
Below is the dark tale:
Most people have experienced darkness at some point of their
lives.
Some of them simply choose to let the bygones be bygones,
hoping to make their lives easier. Others have sworn vengeance
upon those who cause them pain, devoting their lives for their
now pointless revenge.
There is also a third case, in which a person's anger and
pain are completely locked away by whatever means. That person
might appear normal, maybe even cheery on the outside. But deep
down inside, there will always be a dark hole welled up with . .
.
#################################################################
POISON
The second Ranma fic by Adrian Wong (Author of Vampire P/P Ranma)
Warning: While this is no lemon, some parts do contain adult
situations. Young readers beware.
#################################################################
An ocean of hot, slippery forms,
Eruption of white, sticky fluid,
Unendurable pain, irreparable damage,
With no witness but those hollow lenses,
Anger . . . bitterness . . . heartache . . .
Helplessness . . . despair . . . fear . . .
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The boy shot up from his futon, teary eyed and breathing
hard. He wiped off his tears with disgust. <Dammit! Men do not
cry! > He tried to remember this same dream that had tormented
him night after night. However, something, perhaps a block in his
psychic, prevented his mind from the details of the nightmare.
Then he saw the enraged panda in front of him, and heard the
inflamed voices from the other rooms.
"Not this again!" "Argggg!!! I ought to throw out that
baka to get some sleep!" "Oh, my!" <CRASH!!!> "Ranma! How dare
you wake up the entire household with your pathetic nightmare?"
Another nightmare began.
* * * * * * *
The next morning, everybody was feeling uneasy around the
grumpy looking Ranma, who had a black eye and lots of bandages.
"I can't believe this! It wasn't my fault that I had a bad
dream, and all you guys just had to pound me into being quiet!"
"Well Ranma, you have been waking us up every night for an
entire week already. Couldn't blame us for losing patience."
Nabiki stated simply.
"We are sorry, Ranma. But you really need to find a way to
get rid of your nightmare problem. It's frustrating!" Akane
said.
"Morning, guys!" A tall, refreshed-looking girl carrying an
extra-large order of okonomiyaki leaped over the fence and
entered the house. "How's my Ran-chan doing . . . ACK! What
happened?!"
"The boy here has been having nightmare blues." Germa said
with complete casualty while Ranma growled. Then Akane explained
the situation to Ukyou while everybody else munched on
okonomiyakis.
Ukyou looked somewhat mad after the story was told. It was
so much like them to ignore Ran-chan's sufferings! She quickly
composed herself. "In this case, it might be good for Ran-chan
to see a psychoanalyst. People who had recurring nightmares
usually have something unpleasant in their minds that haunts
them."
Ranma almost spit out his tea. "Psychoanalyst?! Ucchan!
Those people are only good for treating nut cases!"
"Not necessarily. Why, I still remember how I was haunted
by the image of Mr. Saotome running away with my yatai. It was
so bad that it made me sleepless." Ukyou forced down her anger.
"Anyway, I went and saw this psychoanalyst and he actually helped
me to rid of my problem."
Everybody glared at Germa, who kept eating as if he had
heard nothing. But Ukyou had expected this: the man was beyond
redemption.
"Now Ukyou. We really don't have this kind of money . . . "
Soun Tendo spoke up, and Ukyou failed to hide her look of
disgust. If a young girl making her own living could afford to
get a psychoanalyst, then so could an established dojo master!
Nabiki saw this and said:"What's the big fuss anyway? This
IS Ranma. Nothing is complex enough to be analyzed in his brains
anyway."
"Fine! I will the one to pay for the expenses, being Ran-
chan's fiancee." Ukyou said.
Akane looked slightly angry with being reminded of Ukyou's
status. Ranma saw this and tried to ease the tension. "Ucchan,
thanks for the thought. Really! But I am not in need of a
psychoanalyst."
"Ranma right!" A purple-haired, curvy girl bicycled into
the room. "What Ranma need is Great-grandmother's wisdom on
subject. Airen comes to Nekohanten with Shampoo!" Shampoo
glomped onto Ranma.
"Ranma, no!" Germa spoke up. "You'll get yourself into one
of Cologne's schemes again!"
"Irresponsible father-in-law no insult Hiba-chan's honour!"
Shampoo glared HARD at Germa, who blanched. The Amazon resumed
her playful smile as she turned back to Ranma. "Come, Airen!"
Shampoo grabbed Ranma under her arm before he could protest and
immediately bicycled out of sight. Ukyou and Akane went after
them via rooftops.
* * * * * * *
At the Nekohanten, the girls told Cologne about Ranma's
problems, and Cologne asked to be alone with Ranma. "Hmmm...
repeated nightmares... Son-in-law, have you had any overtly
traumatic experiences before?"
"Well, there was this cat-fu thing..." Ranma said
uncertainly.
"Anything that would conjure up dark, twisted thoughts?"
"Hey! What kind of wacky childhood do you think I have?"
Ranma said annoyed.
"You're overreacting, son-in-law. Now, let's hear about
your dreams." Cologne said.
"I don't remember any of it."
"What? You had nightmares every night and you could
remember none of them?"
"All I got when I finally woke up was this sick feeling in
my stomach, as if I've been revolted at something, but don't know
what it is..." Ranma left out the part that he had cried,
fearing its unmanly implication.
Cologne narrowed her eyes, and leaped onto Ranma's head.
"What're you doing, old crone?!" Ranma was startled. Cologne
whacked him HARD with her staff. "Show some respect to your
elders! I'm just examining you!"
Cologne started poking at various points on Ranma's head.
"Hmm... the depression point is functioning all right, so is the
fear point..." All of a sudden her eyes widened in shock. "Be
back in a second, son-in-law." Ranma watched with puzzlement as
Cologne hopped outside the room in a hurry.
* * * * * * *
Outside, the three girls are waiting nervously. Akane
didn't want to say it out, but she really didn't trust Cologne
all that much. Cologne's schemes to manipulate Ranma into
marrying Shampoo had stopped quite a long time ago with Ryoga's
defeat at Ranma's hands (the Bakusai Tenketsu chapter). The
cursed jewel incident could hardly be blamed on her, since Ranma
practically forced his way into the trap. But Akane knew that
Cologne would do whatever she could to make her great-
granddaughter happy, and that it involved Ranma. The ancient
Amazon was honourable, but will she maintain her honour when it
comes to getting Shampoo the man she wanted?
It was then that Cologne leaped out and dragged a startled
Shampoo into the back corner of the restaurant. Rapid, hushed
conversations in Chinese could be heard, but neither Ukyou or
Akane could understand a word. Then Cologne hopped back into the
room that Ranma was in and Shampoo came back out with a worried
look.
"What was all that about?" Ukyou asked.
Shampoo looked puzzled herself. "Hiba-chan asked if Shampoo
use formula 110 on Ranma."
Remember the Amazon's deadliest memory manipulation
technique, Akane turned violently to Shampoo. "Well, did you?!"
Shampoo looked angry herself. "Shampoo no do anything so
underhanded to Ranma! What you take Shampoo for, Kodachi?"
"I can't be too sure. After all, you did attempt to
brainwash me." Akane said indignantly.
"If Shampoo really mean, she KILL tomboy there and then
without going through stupid charade! Formula brainwashing cause
painful flashbacks, Shampoo no do it to man she LOVE!" Shampoo
shot back.
"Akane-chan, if Shampoo actually did brainwash Ran-chan, she
wouldn't brought this up in front of us now." Ukyou reasoned.
Akane kept herself quiet.
It was then that Ranma came out, followed by Cologne. What
happened next shocked all of the girls.
"Thank-you, Cologne. I'll forever be in your dept." Ranma
bowed formally to the Amazon.
"Aiya! Ranma actually polite..." Shampoo can't finish her
sentence.
"..to Cologne?!" Akane finished the sentence for her.
"Something is definitely wrong." Ukyou frowned. Ranma was
always revolted by Cologne's withered features. His politeness
is definitely unusual.
Cologne's reply further puzzled the girls. "Whatever you
do, Son-in-law, do not let the past destroy the present." Ranma
smiled sadly and said. "I wish I can convince myself the same
thing. Farewell."
He strode out the front door, followed nervously by Ukyou
and Akane. Shampoo turned to Cologne. "Hiba-chan, why Ranma act
so strange?"
When Cologne told her the answer, Shampoo fainted.
* * * * * * *
Once Ranma got back to the Dojo, he immediately went
upstairs to sleep in the guest room. This time, he remember
every single detail of the all too familiar nightmare.
* * * * * * *
The dinner was very unusual. For once, Ranma and Akane are
actually not arguing. Ranma's everpresent annoyed expression was
gone from his face. What remained now was a demure expression on
his face that is polite but distant. More puzzling was the fact
that he changed right out of his exotic Chinese clothes once he
got home. Right now he is dressed in black, traditional
Japanese robes. All signs of his jocular, adolescent attitude
were gone. Germa looked nervous for some reason.
"My darling Ranma-chan! It has been so long." A bucket of
cold water was thrown onto Ranma, quickly followed by an annoying
old lech. "Oh, what bliss it is to feel your bosoms again!"
As Happosai proceeded to molest his student, everybody moved
away to avoid the inevitable fury that would came from Ranma-
chan.
But Ranma-chan simply looked down at Happosai with the look
of a child examining an insect. Then she smiled in such an
innocent way that could make Kasumi's smile pale in comparison.
Happosai was still fondling her chest as Ranma's hands moved to
undid her belt. Happosai was excited beyond believe, finally his
favourite student has realized the futility of her struggles and
decided to give in willingly! Lost in happy thoughts, the
ancient master failed to notice where Ranma's belt is going.
<SNAP!!!!>
Akane had both fists covering her mouth. At first she was
merely shocked at Ranma-chan's passivity to Happosai's advances.
But even more horrifying was the scene right in front of her
eyes.
Ranma-chan, a wide-eyed smile on her face, was pulling at
the two ends of the ribbon that was her belt. There was a knot
at the mid-section of the ribbon, which was tied around the neck
of a withered old lech perched on her breasts. Happosai's
already large eyes had now quadrupled in size, and his face was
turning purple. Ranma-chan spoke up in casual tone that was a
sharp contrast to its dark content. "To be strangled in a
woman's embrace, a death fitting for even the most degraded of
perverts, ne?" She giggled at her own words. "Sweet dreams, old
man."
A pair of scissors appeared and quickly cut Happosai lose
before Ranma-chan could react. Ranma-chan looked hurt as she
turned to Akane, who was holding a pair of scissors in a stance.
The ancient master scrambled out of sight as quick as he could.
"You saved the pervert." Ranma-chan's eyes were wide.
"Ra-Ranma... what are you doing? YOU ALMOST MURDERED THE
MASTER!!" Akane asked, trembling.
"Guess he has finally flipped. Oh well, it's bound to
happen sooner or later." Nabiki observed with amusement.
"You made it sound like a terrible thing to do, Akane."
Ranma-chan frowned.
"Because it is! An honourable martial artist do not murder
people!!"
Ranma-chan looked slightly disgusted. "Really. Akane, if I
didn't kill Saffron of the Phoenix Mountain, where would you be
today?."
Germa tried to prevent his son from further upsetting the
Tendo girl. "Ranma! Is this anyway to talk to your fiancee?! I
brought you up better than that!"
Ranma-chan laughed as if being told a joke. "Sure you did,
GERMA."
Germa received a shock. Ranma might not be a respectful
child, but he always referred to his father as 'Pop'.
Ranma-chan smiled coldly and stared straight into her father's
eyes. "You know what they say, like father, like son. By the
way, Kasumi, that was one spectacular meal." Ranma-chan left the
table and walked into the darkness of the unlit second floor.
Akane collapsed to the ground. "My God, Ranma... what has
become of you?"
* * * * * * *
Relaxing in the tub of warm water, Ranma felt the change
came over him. With his original body, the poison of his past
hurt even more than before. "Oh, I'll be averaged alright."
Ranma-kun said in a low, deadly voice. "But for now..."
* * * * * * *
Late at night, Akane rolled back and forth on her bed. She
simply could not sleep after what had happened at dinner.
Quietly, she walked out of her window and tip-toed along the
roof's edge towards Ranma's room. She noticed a piece of paper
taped to Ranma's window and picked it up. Akane looked inside
the window, and saw Germa sleeping alone in the room. Quietly,
she slipped back to her own room and turned on the lamp. Under
the light, the words on the note became visible:
To Akane:
If I know you, which I do, then you'll probably come looking
for me to talk about what happened. Know that no matter what
happen, no harm should come to the Tendos. Right now I'm off
somewhere else, do not tell the others that I am gone.
Ranma.
What does that mean? What is he up to? Why does he change?
What causes the change? Millions of questions flooded Akane's
mind, but none of which could be answered. Physically strong as
she was, she felt as helpless as a child.
* * * * * * *
It next morning, Akane woke up with considerable difficulty.
After all, she had spent the entire night thinking about Ranma.
After cleaning up and dressed, Akane joined her family for
breakfast. Ranma was there also, in the same type of dark robes
that he wore yesterday. Apparently, he got home before other
people could have noticed. The breakfast was finished in
complete silence, as nobody knew what to say after last night.
Happosai was still nowhere to be seen.
On their way to school, Akane decided to break the ice.
"Ranma, about last night..."
"What about it?" Ranma asked, his expression neutral.
"Why... why did you act the way you did? To Happosai... to
your father... "
Ranma kept walking ahead. "Don't you think the old lech
deserve what he got?"
"Nani?! Happosai is still our master!" Akane said angrily.
"Really?" Ranma asked. "Tell me, Akane-chan. What special
technique had he taught us?"
"Well..." Akane didn't know how to reply.
Ranma smiled deviously. "You see? There he was, a man who
had never gave us anything aside from his molestations, and you
are defending him as if he was some kind of honourable sensei."
"Okay, let's drop this subject for now. But what about the
way you treated your father?"
"Should I treat him any differently?" Ranma asked with
amusement in his voice.
"Yes! He might not be the best of fathers, but he did
managed to brought you up." Akane said with a hint of anger.
Ranma laughed. "And how, pray tell, do you suppose he went
about to do it? The phase "getting a job" is obviously not part
of his vocabulary."
"Well... he... he had obviously done something!" Akane
said.
"That no doubt he did. How else do you explain Ukyou's
blind rage when she re-discovered me here?"
"So Mr. Saotome ran away with her dowry, but Ukyou's father
was just as much to blame for her sufferings. If he didn't
attempt to BUY himself a son-in-law, none of this would have
happened!" Akane went over what she just said. It didn't sound
right, but for argument's sake it would have to do.
Ranma looked sideways at her. "Oh, and I suppose your
father behaved differently on this issue?"
"Don't you dare say that! My father loved you as he would
his son!"
"Really? Whenever makes you think that Mr. Kunoji didn't
care for me?"
"I..."
Ranma continued. "As for your father, no... you entire
family, whose side were they always on whenever we got into a
fight?"
"It... it was always your fault! Chasing other women,
avoiding my cooking..." Akane was letting her anger get the
better of her.
"THEY CAME TO ME, OKAY!? I've never encouraged any of them,
let alone chase them. And how dare you be angry at me for not
eating your cooking WHEN NONE OF THE TENDOS EVEN DARED TO WALK
NEAR IT?!!!!!!!" Ranma was burning with rage.
"Have you said enough yet?" Akane was turning white.
Ranma closed in on Akane. "No! For once I'm gonna give you
a piece of my mind! None of you have never considered me as a
part of the family. Remember how Mr. Tendo tied me up and hang
me in the Dojo when I dated Ukyou and Shampoo under the influence
of magic? Kasumi... well, I can't say much about her, since she
always kept her distance. As for Nabiki, she kept on selling NUDE
photos of me in both forms, and TO MY CLASSMATES!!! Would they
do this to you? WOULD THEY??"
"Ranma, I... they..." Akane was starting to sob, and Ranma
pushed her against a wall.
"I know why they all treat me like this. To them, I'm not
someone who was engaged to you, but someone who was SOLD to you.
They think that I deserved to be beaten, exploited and humiliated
because I am leeching off the Tendo household and inheriting
THEIR Dojo! Dammit! I have never wanted your Dojo! I DON'T
DESERVE ANY OF THIS! I should have left long ago, to show them
that I aren't interested in munching off the O' mighty Tendo
fortune. But no... my father WANTED YOUR DOJO AND INSISTED THAT
WE STAY HERE! I didn't know that I had a mother then, and he was
the only family that I had. Naive as I was, I stayed with him
and endured the hell that followed. SO DON'T YOU CRITICIZE ME
FOR TREATING MY FATHER BADLY, CAUSE ITS NOT EVEN CLOSE TO WHAT HE
DESERVES!!"
Seeing Akane's weak nod, Ranma loosened his hold on her. He
took a deep breath, and gradually switched back to his calm,
distant expression. "Now that's said, let's pick up our pace
before we are late."
Akane continued to sob, unable to deal with the harsh words
and the painful reality. The two of them made the rest of their
way to school in complete silence.
After the end of the school day, Akane had to stay behind to
work on a project with Ukyou and some other girls. Ranma was to
return home by himself. It was showering lightly, and Ranma
deliberately walked through the rain, letting its coldness cools
down the inner fire within him. <I don't believe I've actually
said that to Akane... even though all of it were true... But
still...>
All of a sudden, she was lifted off the floor into the arms
of a handsome, older boy in samurai robes.
"Oh, my pigtailed goddess! What bliss it is to have your
divine body in my arms again!" Kuno rubbed his cheek against
hers, totally unaware of Ranma-chan's darkening expression.
Ranma-chan could feel the poison welling up within her.
Kuno had just touched her once too many times. <He deserves the
truth...the hard way.> With that in her mind, Ranma-chan
softened her expression to the point of melting it. "Sempai,
wanna go somewhere private?"
Thunders and lightnings dramatized the scene.
* * * * * * *
Stacks of newspaper occupied the desktop of the classroom as
Akane, Ukyou and some other girls are discussing their Law
project.
"I still think that we should choose something more shocking
as our focus..." Ukyou paged through the newspaper. "How about
doing a report on bizarre murder cases?"
"That's scary!" Said other girl 1 and 2 in union.
"Hai, but it can also grab people's attention, making it
easier to present. What do you think, Akane-chan? Akane-chan?"
Akane pulled herself together. "Wh-what?"
"What the heck is going on? You're awfully distracted."
Ukyou said, concern in her voice.
"Oh, it's nothing..." Akane really didn't want Ukyou to
know about her problems with Ranma: that will give Ukyou even
more reason to claim Ranma for herself.
"It is Ranma again isn't it?" Girl 1 said brightly, and
Ukyou raised an eyebrow.
"NO!" Akane almost barked. "Look, let's just concentrate
on our project, okay?"
"Well, lets start from obtaining murder-news clippings
then." Ukyou said. Akane sighed. <Great! Just what I need to
further depress myself.>
She started to page through the newspaper, and caught sight
of a promising title: Murder Mystery, Millionaire Blown to
Pieces. "How about this one, girls? Shocking enough?"
Ukyou took the paper and started reading, halfway through it
her eyes widened in shock but nobody saw it. She folded up the
newspaper. "Okay, I think we have found what we need already.
Why not call it a night, eh? I'll write up a proposal to Miss
Hiniko by next week."
"But we barely got started..." Girl 2 said.
"Don't worry. I have everything planned out already. Go
home! Relax!" Ukyou insisted.
The girls 1 and 2 packed up and left the classroom. Akane
was about to follow when a hand landed on her shoulder.
"We need to talk, Akane-chan." Ukyou said with a worried
expression on her face.
* * * * * * *
Kuno's bath tub, over thirty square feet in area, was more
like an indoor swimming pool. An eerie green light shines from
beneath the steaming water, a sharp contrast against the black-
coloured room around it. At each corner of the bath stood a
statue of a gorgon. Newly heated water obtained from the bath
itself was pouring out of their open mouths. <Such an eerie
setting. . . obviously Kodachi's idea.> Ranma-chan thought
amusedly to herself, and turned to look at the figure in the
bath.
Wearing nothing but a towel, Kuno was floating on a waterbed
to which he was securely tied to at Ranma-chan's insistence.
"Oh, my pigtailed goddess! To think that you would finally give
yourself to me, and in such an exotic fashion! Torment me no
longer and take me, my very priestess of delight. I longed for
thy sensual embrace!"
Ranma-chan, covered by large red towel , gave him a sultry
look from the side. First, she unbraided her hair, letting it
flow down her back. With a secretive smile, she let her towel
slide off her inch by inch. Kuno was going into a frenzy at the
alluring sight in front of him, his excitement evident beneath
his towel. Ranma-chan smiled.
"What a luscious figure this is, surely even Venus herself
would be overshadowed by thy beauty! I can no longer hold back
my passion... O' pigtailed goddess, show thy mercy and let thy
hungry slave taste the sweet honey of thy flesh!"
"Are you sure that's what you really want with me?" Ranma-
chan smiled wickedly. "I should warn you: once we begin, there
will be no turning back."
"I'm sure, my goddess! Do with me as you will, delight me
with you knowledge of naughty pleasures!" Kuno shouted.
"As you wish." Ranma-chan closed her eyes as she stepped
into the hot bath, and Kuno's burning heat froze up as he
witnessed the change.
The delicate, curvy flesh that enchanted the eyes quickly
tightened into lean muscles, replacing the plump bosoms with a
firm chest. The dramatic red hair turned black, framing a still
delicate but definitely more masculine face. The long, slender
legs became even longer. However, they were now covered by tight
muscles. All these changes paled in comparison to the
revolutionary change that took place between the once feminine
legs.
Kuno would scream, had he found the strength to do so. He
had lost so much of his wits that he couldn't even decorate his
speech with poetry. "Saotome... it was you?!"
The girl-turned boy in front of him smiled evilly. "I kept
on telling you that the pigtailed girl and Ranma are one and the
same, I've even changed numerous times right before your eyes,
and for all this time you have been ignoring the obvious-- at my
expense."
Kuno felt like his head was exploding. He had allowed
himself to be obsessed with his mortal enemy for all this time,
simply because he dared not to face the truth. And now, his
dreams were violently shattered. Kuno received yet another
shock as the long haired boy reached down and pull off his towel.
"What do you think you're doing?!" Kuno yelped.
"I'm hurt. Have you forgotten your request already?"
Ranma-kun climbed up the waterbed slyly. "Isn't this what you
have always wanted? To have me do you?" He pressed his own
naked body against Kuno's. "Don't you want... what did you call
it? Oh yeah, the 'honey of my flesh'?"
"Get off me, you pervert!" Kuno barked.
Ranma-kun chuckled boyishly. "Finally, sempai, it's your
turn to say my lines." An evil glint came into his eyes. "But
really... if me saying this line had absolutely no use on you in
the past, what makes you think that you can stop me with these
same words?"
Kuno wanted to scream for help, but then he remembered how
completely sound-proofed the room is. He decided to give
senseless babbling a try. "Look, Saotome. You're a man and I'm
a man and men just DO NOT do these things to each other. So
let's not continue on this perversity and..."
Ranma cut him off with a laugh. "The Ranma/pigtailed girl
that you knew was revolted by men only because he/she was brought
up to be so. But, you see, it is different for me. I had
already regained most of my memory... and as such, have neither
inhibitions, nor shame. Besides, I gave my warning, there is no
turning back now." Ranma moved his face closer to the older
boy's, who screamed despite its futility.
* * * * * * *
"What is it, Ukyou?" Akane asked.
Ukyou handed the newspaper to her. "Read the contents."
"Huh?"
"Read it!" Ukyou almost begged.
Akane sighed and read through the column. It was quite
interesting, concerning the murder of a rich eccentric man who
had inherited his family's fortune and hadn't worked for a day of
his life. The night before he was alone in his house when the
supposed explosion occurred. The police found a pile of tapes
that were clearly placed on the scene after the explosion. They
were now the main evidences regarding the crime's motive.
Strangely, no traces of any explosives can be found by the
authorities...
No traces of any explosives?!
"Oh my God..." Akane breathed out. The newspaper slipped
from her hand.
"As far as we know, only a chi attack can cause that kind of
a result. And you do know who are the suspects in this case,
don't you?"
"Ryoga..." Akane couldn't go on.
"Or Ran-chan." Ukyou finished the sentence for her.
Akane sank to her knees. The memory of Ranma strangling
Happosai crept back to her mind. <This is getting out of hand, I
guess maybe I should tell Ukyou...>
It turned out that she didn't need to. "Had Ran-chan been
acting weird lately?" Ukyou asked.
"What... how... how did you know?!"
"From how Ran-chan was acting towards Cologne, and how he
changed his fashion style. He used to be so vibrant and exotic
in his Chinese get-up, and now... Can't you see how cold and
detached he looked in those black Japanese robes? And that look
in his eyes when he was thinking, it almost reminds me...of
myself, when I was still consumed with the thought of revenge."
Ukyou frowned. "But if it is Ran-chan, what would be his
motive?"
"Cologne..." Akane pulled herself to her feet and gathered
her wits. "The words that she said to Ranma... she knew what is
going on!"
"Well, what are we waiting for?! To the Nekohanten!" Ukyou
leaped out the window, followed by Akane. Both ignore the cries
of amazement from the ordinary pedestrians as they leaped from
rooftop to rooftop towards their destination.
* * * * * * *
Ranma looked at the comatose body tied to the water bed with
disgust. He always knew that Kuno was a weakling (when compared
to him), but to pass out from stress before he could even make
contact... <Oh well, I've never intended to REALLY soil myself
just to terrorize Kuno anyway. After all, the idiot always
contented himself with hugging. I guess. . . it would be morally
wrong for me to go further with Kuno now. But as for HIM. . . >
Ranma's originally handsome face twisted itself in a devious
smile.
* * * * * * *
The girls had arrived on the roof of Nekohanten. Akane had
almost leaped down to the front door before Ukyou stopped her.
"Eh?" Akane asked.
"Look, if Cologne really is the one responsible for this,
then it would not be wise for us to confront her directly."
"Well, let's just walk in as if we are just going there for
a meal then." Akane said.
"Good, we might be able to pick up a couple of clues then."
Ukyou said. The girls leaped down, preparing to enter the store
as casually as possible. A desperate, middle-aged male voice
could be heard from inside.
"C'mon! I know you have it. It is a matter of life and
death! If I can't get it by tonight, something horrible will
happen!"
Ukyou immediately grabbed Akane and pull her to a spot where
no one inside the restaurant could see her.
"We left all of our supplies back in the village. There is
nothing we can do for you." A stern, aged female voice said.
"Actually, I'm amazed that you could even find that formula in
Japan."
"Some Chinese old woman that I met on the road sold a bottle
to me. I've already used up all of it half a year ago. And if I
don't get a new supply..."
"......"
"Look, You want Ranma as your greatgrandson-in-law, don't
you? If you helped me out on this one, I promise you that my son
will gladly take Shampoo as his bride." The male voice sounded
really desperate now.
"That's Mr. Saotome! Why that honourless..." Akane's anger
was making her voice louder than she intended to. Ukyou quickly
covered her mouth. "Chew out! I went through the same thing
too, you know." She whispered harshly.
A throaty, aged chuckling can be heard. "We Chinese
Amazons, unlike SOME other races, do not enforce arranged
marriages for our offsprings. At best we simply aided them in
wooing their beloved, like I have done in the past. So talk not
to me about this engagement, talk to Shampoo instead." Cologne
said.
"Shampoo no fool. Father-in-law no have good record,
running away with spatula girl's dowry like that. Besides,
Shampoo need good reason in order to help." Shampoo's voice was
full of disrespect and contempt.
"Well... that is... you see, Ranma had been..." Germa said
uncertainly. Ukyou and Akane raised their ears.
"Had been what?" A cold, deadly voice came from the
entrance. Akane and Ukyou, being engrossed in the conversation,
hadn't noticed Ranma's arrival. They watched Ranma entered the
restaurant, and decided to walk in with him. Inside was Cologne,
looking cold and indifferent. Shampoo had a hate-filled and
slightly nauseous expression on her pretty face that was directed
to the old Saotome. Germa simply looked VERY scared.
"Ah, my son! Eehehehe... what a pleasant surprise to see
you here of all places..." He babbled incoherently.
"It's getting late, and from what I'm seeing, you're
overstaying their welcome. Let's go."
Germa stood up and sheepishly followed his son. Shampoo
walked up to Ranma and embraced him as she whispered in his ear.
"Let Shampoo come with you."
Ranma whispered back. "You do not want to see what I'm
about to do."
"This going be very hard on Airen, Shampoo want be there for
you." Shampoo buried her face in the curve of his neck.
"You may come," Ranma whispered warmly, "My friend."
Ranma could feel the Amazon's tears melted though his chest,
becoming a part of his heart. Shampoo, a sad yet happy look on
her face, gently let go of Ranma. Akane and Ukyou looked
slightly jealous but mostly puzzled. They couldn't hear a word
the two had said. Germa looked like a mouse caught in a trap.
The five made their way to Tendo Dojo in complete silence as
Cologne looked on with a melancholic expression.
* * * * * * *
The atmosphere of the Tendo dinning room was eerie as
everybody sat around the table and said nothing. Soun tried to
get Germa to play a game of Go with him, but the latter declined.
Kasumi silently offered tea to everyone as Nabiki yawned and
switched on the TV, putting an end to the dreadful silence.
It was news time, with the eternally detached broadcaster
announcing the headline of the day. "The shocking mystery of the
murder of the rich and eccentric XXXXX XXXXXX is now partially
unfolded. According to the police, the tapes found at the sight
of the murder contain clips of the XXXXXX himself having sexual
intercourse with minors in their early teens. Some of the minors
were, according to the police, apparently beaten and gang-raped
with the help of other adults in the video. The contents of
these tapes are now assumed to be linked with the murder."
Ranma smiled. "Such an interesting case. Certainly brings
back memories, eh, father?"
Germa remained silent.
Ukyou figured out the entire mystery immediately. Finally,
all the bits and pieces fitted together Indescribable fury
burned through her body as she unleashed her giant spatula.
Akane was burning with a red aura, a look of disbelieve on her
face. Shampoo took out her maces, her look cold enough to freeze
water. Nabiki, feeling the danger presented, calmly motioned her
still puzzled father and oldest sister to follow her outside the
house.
"What, have you forgotten already?" Ranma pulled out a tape
from his robes, and put it in the VCR. "Maybe... this tape that
I found... in that cursed house... can refresh your memories,
Germa." Ranma's voice was starting to shake. "It's about
time... for you to see... what I've been through... because of
YOU." Ranma laughed bitterly as the tape was rewinded. "I'm
beginning to sound like Ryoga, aren't I? I suppose that's the
main reason that I could blow the f__ker away with a Shishi
Houkoudan."
The VCR clicked as the tape was rewinded to the beginning.
Ranma looked to his three fiancees, two of which engaged to him
by his father. "You girls do not want to see this tape." He
stated flatly.
"Shampoo stay here with Airen." Shampoo said with
determination.
"I'm not leaving you alone with this..." Ukyou gestured
towards Germa with difficulty. "No way shall I let him talk his
way out of this one. No way AT ALL!"
Akane's angry face turned sad. "I'm sorry, Ranma. For all
this time, I've been insensitive towards your feelings, simply
because I didn't know what you've been through..." Akane broke
down crying. "I... know I'll be of no use staying here, but..."
Akane couldn't go on.
"Very well then..." Ranma sighed. "Take a good look at how
I've spent my 12th birthday, on the 'home video' of XXXXXX. The
entire event, from the beginning to the end, all secretly taped
down and later edited by himself." Ranma smirked coldly. "Under
other circumstances, he could've been quite a director."
The tape played itself. It showed a splendidly decorated
room, with a classical, long table occupied with roast beef,
roast chicken, and many other steaming buffet items. Two people
were sitting across the table. One was XXXXXX himself, who we
shall call The Man for convenience's sake. The other side of the
table sat a ponytailed boy who was eating like there was no
tomorrow. He was obviously a much younger version of Ranma, a
lot more frail and innocent than he was now.
The Man smiled. "So how do you like your birthday party so
far?"
"It's the coolest! I've never ate anything like this my
entire life!" little Ranma said between bites. "If only Ucchan
is here..."
"Ucchan?" The Man asked.
"He is my very best friend!" Little Ranma said brightly,
then his voice saddened a bit. "My only friend... who I haven't
seen for years... If only Pop didn't have to move around all the
time for training... Actually, Mister, are you Pop's friend? Pop
didn't told me much as he dropped me off here."
"You could say that I'm his business partner." The Man gave
a slightly mysterious smile. Both stayed silent as little Ranma
continued his eating.
"Ranma..."
"Huh?"
"Wild horse... Such a special name for a little boy."
"I'm not just a little boy, I'm a martial artist! Look!"
little Ranma stood up and proceeded to do a kata, he frowned as
he swayed a bit. "That shouldn't have happened..."
"Very nice." The Man licked his lips. "But can you do it
without clothes on? I want to see how you use your muscles."
"But..." Little Ranma turned a deep shade of red.
"What's the matter? I am your friend and I want to study
your technique."
Little Ranma hesitates, then took off his shirt and tried
the kata again.
"The pants." The Man urged.
Little Ranma looked scandalized, then steadied himself and
said. "Sorry, Mister. I can't."
"Why not? You are a big boy now, what have you got to hide?
We're both guys. C'mon, it's no big deal." The Man moved
forward, Little Ranma stepped back.
"I guess I should wait for Pop outside..." Little Ranma
continued to step back with a nervous expression. Then suddenly,
his knees buckled and he fell on his rear. The Man loomed over
him, his back to the camera.
"Now, little wild horse, you're obviously too tired to even
walk out of this house. So why not let me carry you off to my
bed so we can have some further fun with some of my friends..."
"I can't move... What did you put in those food that you
gave me?!" Little Ranma looked shocked.
"Just something to help you relax, little man." The man's
voice was devious and Little Ranma's frightened look was almost
heart-breaking. The Man picked him up and the boy couldn't even
struggle. "If you... do anything... funny to me, Pop WILL kill
you!" Little Ranma tried to act tough, but his voice wavered
considerably.
The Man laughs as he carried the boy outside the range of
the camera. "Your 'Pop' knows exactly what is coming to you,
daddy's boy. Why else do you think he brought you here?
Besides, everybody knows that horses are meant to be ridden."
Little Ranma's screams can be heard from beyond the camera.
"You're lying! Pop! POP! POOOOOOOOOP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The next scene of the video was shot in a luxurious bedroom.
It contains Little Ranma, The Man, and seven or eight other men.
What took place was twisted beyond words, and as such, could not
be written out in this fanfic.
Ranma stopped the tape, and looked towards the audiences.
Akane and Shampoo were both crying uncontrollably. Ukyou towered
over Germa like a furious retributive goddess with her reddened,
tear streaked face and raised spatula. Germa looked downcast and
guilt ridden. Ranma decided to wrap up the twisted tale himself.
"The next day, when Germa came pick me up, I was nothing
above a zombie. He took an envelope from the butler, and led me
back home. On the way he keep on telling me how a man need to
endure some necessary pains in order to survive, and how we had
just earned enough money to travel across the world for three
years. Looking at my pimp, who happened to be my father, I
couldn't get a word he was saying through my head. He had hoped
that I can 'be strong' and put the entire experience behind me.
Instead, I started plotting my revenge. I started wearing black
robes, savouring the similarity between the coldness of their
designs and the coldness of my heart. Honour didn't matter to me
anymore, as I got myself a katana to attempt killing Germa in his
sleep. Inexperienced as I was, I overestimated my skills, and my
plan was ruined. Germa overpowered me and washed my hair with a
strange shampoo. I later found out it was formula 110. . .
which comes to think of it explains why he knew what happened to
Akane when she got brainwashed. I turned back into the Ranma
that you all know, naive, jocular and alive. But there is a
certain darkness that remains within me, poisoning my dreams and
threatening my sexuality. Had Cologne not recovered my memory, I
would eventually be driven insane by this twisted poison in my
heart."
"How dare you. . . " Ukyou's aura flared brighter than
Akane's ever had. "To rip off a little girl and her trusting
fool of a father was one thing. . . but to prostitute your own
flesh and blood. . . and under the disguise of his training
mission. . . you. . . you ANIMAL!!!!" Behind her, Akane and
Shampoo sported auras of their own. Ranma slowly walked towards
his father, a deadly amile on his face.
"Ranma. . . don't do this. . . think about how this will
hurt your mother. . . " Germa pleaded. The door slide open
behind him, and a gleaming metal blade was pressed against his
neck. He didn't need to turn back and look: there was only one
person who cold be the owner of this all to familiar looking
katana.
"I should scold you for what you did." Nodoka said in a
stern voice. "But no words could describe you hideous crime."
"No-chan... how..." Germa's sentence was cut off as Nodoka
stabbed her katana right beside his hand with a loud CLING.
"Do NOT No-chan me, Germa Saotome. Ranma called me last
night and told me to come here today to witness the reveal of a
terrible secret. I though at most it will be you engaging him to
yet another girl for food, but never... never could I imagine it
was THIS. I should kill you, but that would have robbed MY son
of his revenge. So instead, I now place your fate in his hands."
"You see this?" Ranma walked towards his father with a
smiling face as he took out a small vial from his robes. "The
permanent water, imported from the Musk dynasty, that can lock a
cursed person in his current state."
"A... cure?" Germa was dumbfounded.
"Only enough for one person." Ranma said with a nasty glint
in his eyes. "Think of this, a permanent cure-- but not for
you."
Ranma slowly unscrewed the vial, seemingly enjoying the
tragic disappointment in Germa's eyes. He dramatically raised
the vial in slow motion, as if preparing to spray himself. Ukyou
was confused. Why would Ranma took his revenge in such a mild
way? Then she saw Shampoo's twisted smile as Germa leaped for
the vial, and understood immediately.
Germa knew that a father should make sacrifrices for his
son, especially after using him as a dolla tree for years.
However, this was the CURE, his dream since the disasterous
training trip to China. So what if he robbed Ranma of his
chance? His son was still young, and could have more
oppotunities than this old man to get cured in the future...
Ranma's vial was snatched from his hand in a blur, and Akane
could tell immediately that Ranma deliberately let Germa have the
vial. Could it be that Ranma still has emotions for this...
thing? In the corner of her eyes, Nodoka hung her head. In one
swift motion, Germa dumped the contents of the vial on himself.
And turned into a giant panda.
It was dumbfounded as Ranma smiled evilly. "You've failed
the test mom had set for you, old man. She was the one who had
convinced me to give you a final chance. So, we came up with
this brillant idea to use the permanant water from Cologne. Had
you let me have my 'cure', you could have avoided your
punishment. Instead, you chose to take the cure away from your
wronged son, and in doing so, locked yourself in cured form, FOR
ETERNITY." Ranma pronounced each word like a curse.
The panda desperately tried to scribble out something on a
sign, but then its deserted wife took out a gun and aimed it at
the endangered animal. "Farewell... you who used to be my
husband." She pulled the trigger.
<BANG!!!!!!!>
* * * * * * *
The panda regained its consciousness to its surprise. It
looked around, taking in the sight of other exotic, endangered
creatures in cages similar to its own. Several men opened the
cage, one of which carried a large needle. The words "TOKYO ZOO"
stood out brightly on their uniforms.
All of a sudden, Germa Saotome's "afterlife" appeared to be
rather bleak.
* * * * * * *
A week later.
It was early in the morning. The Tendos, the fiancees and
the remaining Saotomes were all gathered at the front door of the
Tendo house. Ukyou was talking to Ranma.
"Ran-chan, I don't know what to say..." Ukyou stared in
disbelieve at the number of digits presented on the value of the
check.
"Think nothing of it, this is but a humble repayment for the
sufferings my father had caused you and your family." Ranma
smiled, giving his childhood friend the money he got from selling
his "panda". "When I come back, I will be expecting to see my
favourite business woman with a fast food chain all across
Tokyo."
"Here Ukyou, take this too." Akane offered her rival a less
valuable but still sizeable check, also given by Ranma. "You
deserve this more than my family does."
"No, Akane-chan. You and the Tendos should have this, for
taking care of Ran-chan for all this time."
"Akane, I was in a blind rage when I said all those harsh
things about you guys. Your family had helped to make me a lot
less lonely than I would have been otherwise. And for that, I'll
be eternally grateful."
"Oh, PLEASE! You're just saying that to please my little
sister." Nabiki rolled her eyes. Kasumi was smiling warmly at
the couple as Soun cried a river for the occasion.
"But..." Akane look downcast.
"If you don't want the money, at least keep the check as a
souvenir of what we once have together... Please?" Ranma said
hesistantly.
"Ranma..." Akane holds the check tight against her chest as
she let her tears flowed down. Only this time, they were tears
of happiness. At least now she was certain that he had once
loved her.
"Ranma..." Shampoo was also holding a check, given to her
as a compensation of the troubles she went through to chase him.
"Must you really leave?" She asked in a sad voice.
Nodoka, carrying a backpack and holding another, gently
answered her question. "After what he had been through, my son
would need a long period of training and meditation to completely
cleanse the poison that was forced into him. Before that can be
accomplished, he will be burdened by his past, incapable of TRULY
loving anyone."
Ranma continued in a sad voice. "If you girls were smart,
you should all forget about me and find somebody else capable of
caring for you."
"Then I guess none of us are very smart then." Akane spoke
up with a smile, finally being honest to her true feelings.
"I can wait for you till I die of old age, Ran-chan." Ukyou
gave a confident smile.
"Please come back soon." Shampoo said with tears in her
eyes. "Ranma is only Japanese who not think Shampoo stupid cause
she can't speak complete Japanese sentences. All Japenese
thought Shampoo oversexed airhead. All other boys I met in
country only nice to Shampoo for her body."
"Hey, we never thought you're an airhead." Akane said,
uncomfortable at seeing Shampoo cry.
"Tomboy call Shampoo 'Chinese bimbo' all the time!"
"What did your call me you bim-" Ukyou clapped her hands
over Akane's mouth. "Shampoo-chan, what she is trying to say is
that we never meant what we said while we're mad."
"Shampoo know. Such irony that rivals Shampoo's only
Japanese friends." The Chinese girl smiled and wiped off her
tears. "This country lonely place for Shampoo, but spatula and
mallet girls enough to keep Shampoo not lonely till Ranma
comeback. We Amazons never give up on love."
"Oh, Ranma-sama! To think that fate has parted us through
this tragedy..." A stylish looking girl with her hair braided to
one side was gently shedding tears of heartache.
"Eh. . . Kodachi, how do you fit into this particular scene
anyway? You weren't even in any parts of of the previous
sections of the story." Akane questioned.
"What? Can't the Black Rose just show up with no reason at
all other than to mourn the parting sight of her love? Besides,
I'm the one who desiged that super-large bathtub in which Ranma-
sama and brother-" Ranma immediately clasped her mouth shut, not
wanting to destroy his reputation. "Now, now. Let's not waste
our time on that tiny, insignificant branch of this story."
The other girls all frowned in suspicion.
"Anyway, I've come to announce that my love for Ranma-sama
will never wilter. Instead, it shall forever blossom together
with the black roses of my garden." Kodachi looked at her love
with sparkling eyes.
"Psycho girl probably forget Ranma by winter then." Shampoo
giggled mischieviously.
"I wish. Kodachi's 'garden' is an indoor greenhouse."
Akane said tiredly.
"So I guess none of my relations can be resolved in this
story then, huh?" Ranma asked.
"Not if you come back and resolve it yourself." Ukyou said,
echoed by the other girls.
Ranma sighed and strapped on his backpack. "Girls." He
shook his head, but even so smiled tenderly. He nodded to his
mother, and the two made their way towards the direction of the
rising sun.
THE END
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Author's notes:
So how do you like this super-dark Ranma fanfic? I
certainly hope it is better than my first fic (Vampire P/P
Ranma). The idea of this story came from how Germa continually
sold his son to other people for food and/or money in both the
anime and the manga. For those of you who wondered why Cologne
hadn't been responsible for any devious schemes in this story,
take a closer look at her character in the anime and the later
mangas. She is the one character that almost always got blamed
for everything in other authors' fanfics due to her hideous
appearance and in some cases, her representation of tradition.
Hmmm... maybe I would even write a story concerning her in the
future had I got the chance. Before I've scared off everybody,
my next work, ******Alternate Universe: Ranko and Kaneda******,
will be a light hearted one(relatively). My email address will
be <awong@delasalle.tornto.on.ca> until June,97. Criticisms and
comments are always welcome, but I won't be available on the
holidays to return your mail. Special thanks to the maintainer
of The Anime Toshokans for posting and advertizing my fanfics.
Adrian Wong
December 31, 1996.