Ranma 1/2 and all the characters in this story are the creation and
property of Rumiko Takahashi and are being used without permission.  Any
comments and constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated. ^_^




The Mushroom Incident, Part 1

The Trouble With Truffles

by Cindy Toler



        Ryoga Hibiki woke as the morning sun pierced the clouds over the
mountains of Southern Japan.  Or was it Northern Japan?  He was too groggy
to care either way.  He reluctantly dragged himself out of the cocoon he
had made of his blankets, shivering in the early morning chill.  He brushed
his teeth with all the enthusiasm of a zombie and then began to slowly work
through his katas, gradually warming up.  He had begun nearly every morning
of his life this way, since the age of 12.
        By the time Ryoga had worked his way through the basic forms and
moved on to some of the more advanced forms of the Art, the sun had fully
risen and begun to melt away the thin cloud cover.  Ryoga continued,
pushing his body to the limits, his mind clear of all thought.  This was
his Art, his worship, his dance.  The morning sun cast a golden glow on the
mountains around him, and he finally stopped, panting a little, and gazed
out over the vast expanse.
        "I wish Akane could see this," he thought, and then a tiny stab of
pain intruded on the peace of the morning.  Ryoga rekindled his camp fire
and put some water on to heat while he began the process of breaking camp.
By the time the water was warm enough for him to use without changing, he
had crammed nearly everything into his backpack.  Trying to ignore the
chattering of his teeth, Ryoga did the best job he could washing himself
with the little water he had available for the job.  It was moments like
these that made him resent his curse all the more.  In the days before the
curse, he could just jump into a river somewhere to wash and be done in a
few moments.  Now, however, the simple process of getting clean seemed to
take forever.  He hated having to make do, and treasured the rare occasions
he was actually able to soak in a tub of hot water.
        Ryoga quickly dressed and doused the fire, then took one last look
around his camp site and sighed.  It was such a lovely place, but he
doubted he'd ever find his way back here again.  The pathway he chose to
take led him by a tree that had grown in the shape of a number 4.  He
touched the tree as he passed by it, patting its rough bark lightly, and
noticed that there were some mushrooms near the tree's base.  Ryoga's
stomach growled, reminding him that he hadn't had anything to eat since
lunchtime the day before, and he gazed at the mushrooms dubiously.  He
hadn't really eaten mushrooms very much, since that one bad experience.
His stomach growled again, and he broke off a mushroom cap, examining it
suspiciously.  It looked and smelled just like a normal mushroom, and he
hesitantly took a tiny nibble from it.  Nothing happened, so Ryoga picked a
handful and set off, munching them as he walked.

*******

        Ranma woke from an uncomfortable dream with a shudder and glanced
around to be sure he was alone in the room.  His father and Mr. Tendo had
gone on a camping trip for the weekend, allegedly to train, and that meant
that Ranma would have the room all to himself for two whole days.
        Ranma half-expected to find P-chan glaring at him balefully,
refusing to leave him in peace, but the pig hadn't even been around for
days.  With an irritated frown, Ranma pulled on some clothes and made his
way downstairs.  The one day of the week he could've slept in late...
        "Well, I didn't expect to see you this early," Akane said, a little
surprised as Ranma seated himself at the breakfast table.  "I thought you'd
sleep past noon, without your father to wake you."
        "Oh, you're just cranky because you have to share," Ranma grumbled
as he snagged a huge portion.  Akane shot him a pointed glare and silently
continued to eat her breakfast.  Her frown deepened as she saw Ranma
peeking under the table.
        "What do you think you're looking at?" she asked, pulling her skirt
down over her knees.
        "N-no, wait, it's not what you think!" Ranma stammered, flustered
as he realized what Akane was implying.  "I-I was just looking for P-chan,
that's all!!  Don't worry, Akane, it's not like you have anything I'd want
to see!"
        "And just what is that supposed to mean?" Akane asked, her face
reddening.
        "Well, I mean, if I wanted to look at a woman, I could just get a
mirror and some cold water, right?" Ranma said, then winced inwardly.  What
had possessed him to say that?  She'd take that as a
"better-built-than-you" crack for sure!
        "Ranma, you inconsiderate jerk!  Why don't you GROW UP!?!?!" Akane
shouted, leaping up from the table and leaving the house in a huff.
        "Oh, my," Kasumi said as she glided softly into the room and began
clearing Akane's dishes from the table.  "It seems that Akane lost her
appetite."
        "Uh...yeah," Ranma agreed, finishing off his own breakfast with no
enjoyment.  Why did Akane have to be so sensitive?  Every little thing he
said made her mad...
        "Oh, well," Ranma sighed, as he glumly got up from the table and
left the house.  "At least she didn't hit me this time."
        Ranma headed over to the nearest park, telling himself that he
wasn't really looking for Akane, just going for a nice walk to clear his
head.  Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a yellow and black-clad
figure huddled under one of the trees.
        "Oh, great," he muttered to himself.  "That's the last thing I need
today."  On the other hand, he decided that maybe a good fight was just the
thing to cheer himself up.
        So far Ryoga hadn't seemed to notice him.  He was curled up with
his back to Ranma, using his pack for a pillow.  He seemed to be fast
asleep.  With a wicked grin, Ranma crept up close enough that Ryoga should
have sensed his presence, but there was still no response.
        "Hey, P-chan!!!" Ranma shouted suddenly.
        Ryoga jumped up, wild-eyed, and turned to face him.  Ranma stared
at him in shock.  The Lost Boy looked...younger.  He was shorter and
thinner, his clothes sagging around him.  Other than the clothes, he looked
just as he had when he and Ranma first met.  Ryoga looked surprised, too.
        "Saotome?" he asked, his voice cracking.  "Is that you?"
        "Ryoga, what happened to you?"
        "Shut up!" Ryoga cried, leaping at Ranma with his fangs bared.
Ranma neatly sidestepped, shaking his head at the lame attack.
        "Geez, Ryoga," Ranma said.  "You'd think you never even trained!"
        Ryoga spun around and dove at him again, this time crashing
headfirst into the tree when Ranma dodged.  Ryoga stepped on his pack, and
the straps tangled around one foot.  While he was off-balance trying to
free himself, Ranma casually placed one foot on Ryoga's rump and pushed him
over.
        "Are you done yet?" Ranma asked, stepping on Ryoga as he tried to rise.
        "Curse you, Saotome!  How dare you!" Ryoga snarled, his eyes
glowing amber in his fury.  He squirmed violently, trying to free himself
from the strap wound tightly around his ankle and Ranma's foot planted in
the small of his back.
        "So, did you eat anything weird this time?"
        "I didn't get anything to eat!" Ryoga cried.  "You stole my bread,
you lousy thief!"
        "Huh?" Ranma said, peering down at young Ryoga.  Could it be that
he had "lost time" mentally as well?
        "I said you stole my-"
        "Never mind," Ranma interrupted.  Now was his chance to say
something he should have said years ago.  "I'm sorry I took the bread.  Let
me buy you some food to make up for it, OK?"  Ryoga stopped squirming.
        "What kind of food?"
        "Whatever.  How about ice cream?"
        "OK," Ryoga said amiably.  Ranma let him up, keeping an easy stance
but still wary in case Ryoga was trying to fool him.  Ryoga untangled his
foot, brushed himself off and shouldered his pack, then looked at Ranma
expectantly.
        "What?" Ranma said.
        "Aren't you going to lead the way?" Ryoga asked.  "Everyone knows
how I am with directions."
        "Oh.  Uh, yeah, come on," Ranma answered, puzzled.  Ranma sank deep
in thought, occasionally stealing glances at young Ryoga as they walked.
What bothered Ranma most was that Ryoga wasn't just looking younger, he was
acting younger.  The Ryoga he knew wouldn't have waited for him to lead the
way, or even remotely alluded to his poor sense of direction - Ranma's
constant teasing had brought on teasing from the rest of their classmates,
and left Ryoga really sensitive to the subject.  But this younger version
of Ryoga seemed relatively unembarassed about it.  He also seemed more
friendly and open, like a person whose mind had never been touched by
thoughts of vengeance.
        "You know, you look older than I thought," Ryoga said.  "I thought
we were in the same grade."
        "Well, yeah..." Ranma paused for a moment.  Ryoga didn't seem to
realize that HE was the one who had changed!
        "Oh," Ryoga said, "I won't mention it again."  Ranma glanced at
Ryoga, then decided not to ask what he was thinking about.
        "Well, here we go," Ranma announced as they reached the entrance to
his favorite ice cream shop.  Ranma couldn't help but notice the one
section of the wall that was a slightly different color than the rest, a
reminder of Shampoo's explosive entrance.  He also didn't miss the sour
glare of the shop keeper, but Ranma chose to ignore it.  Instead, he and
Ryoga sat down in the booth farthest from the repaired wall.
        "So, you hungry?" Ranma asked.  When Ryoga nodded eagerly, Ranma
passed the menu to him.  "Get whatever ya want.  I recommend the
'Super-dooper Ooey-gooey Chocolate Fudge Delight.'"
        "Oh, yeah, that sounds good!" Ryoga answered with an enthusiastic,
toothy grin.  "Are you gonna have that, too?"
        "Nah, guys don't eat that stuff.  It'd be too embarassing," Ranma
said dismissively.
        "Oh," Ryoga said quietly.  Ranma looked up from the menu to see
Ryoga staring down at the table top, looking crestfallen.  A long moment
passed while Ranma mentally kicked himself.
        "But it's Ok for you to have it," Ranma finally said.  "'Cause
you're not as old as me."
        "Yeah?" Ryoga asked, looking up at him.  Ranma nodded solemnly.
Ryoga grinned again and Ranma couldn't help but grin back, thinking to
himself that Ryoga really was a nice kid.  But he had to find out HOW Ryoga
had become a kid again.
        "So, what'd you have for breakfast?" Ranma asked oh-so-subtly.
        "Just some mushrooms, I think," Ryoga said after a long moment.
        "M-mushrooms?" Ranma gulped.
        "Uh-huh.  I have one left.  You want it?"
        "Uh...no," Ranma said.  "But I'd like to see it."
        Ryoga fished through the pockets on his pack and finally pulled out
a mushroom cap, which he handed to Ranma as he scooted back into the booth.
        "Hmm," said Ranma, peering at the mushroom.  It looked pretty
ordinary to him; there was nothing weird or sinister about it.
        "What's wrong?" Ryoga asked curiously.
        "Nothing," Ranma said.  "Do you mind if I keep this awhile?"
        "No, I guess not."  Ryoga gave Ranma a puzzled glance.  Why Ranma
would be more interested in a mushroom than a 'Super-dooper Ooey-gooey
Chocolate Fudge Delight' was beyond him.  Just then, the sundae arrived,
and Ryoga forgot about everything else.
        Ranma watched Ryoga with no small amusement.  The kid gazed at the
sundae worshipfully for a moment before diving into it with his spoon.  He
inhaled the ice cream so quickly, Ranma suspected that a hungry Ryoga could
hold his own in a Martial Arts Eating competition.
        Ranma paid the shop owner while Ryoga wiped ice cream and sprinkles
off his face, then the two of them left together.
        "Where-uf," Ryoga said as he hoisted his pack up onto his back.
"Where are you going now?"
        "I thought we'd go visit the Nekohanten," Ranma answered, gazing at
the mushroom cap in his hand.
        "We?" Ryoga asked, astonished and pleased.  "You mean you want me
to come with you?"
        "Sure," Ranma said, a little surprised at Ryoga's reaction.
        "You know, I think I might start studying Martial Arts myself,"
Ryoga said conversationally.  He chattered away, keeping up a one-sided
conversation all the way to the Nekohanten.
        Ranma puzzled over this new revelation as they walked.  Up until
today, Ranma really had had no idea the Lost Boy even cared what he
thought, let alone looked up to him.  He tried not to think too much about
how hurt Ryoga must have been the first time Ranma took the bread in the
daily bread feud, or the following days when it became a standard joke
among their peers.  The poor kid had been crying that first day, and Ranma
had just assumed it was about the bread...
        And it had never occurred to him that Ryoga had only begun studying
Martial Arts after that first encounter with Ranma.  Now that he thought
about it, he was impressed with the progress the Lost Boy had made in a few
short years.  A lot of it must be self-taught, too, because Ryoga would've
had a hard time finding a Dojo.
        "This is it," Ranma interrupted Ryoga's steady stream of chatter as
he ushered the Lost Boy through the door of the Nekohanten.  He breathed a
sigh of relief as he noted that there was no sign of Shampoo.
        "Hey, old ghoul!" Ranma called cheerfully.
        "What is it, son-in-law?" Cologne asked as she leaped out from
behind the counter.
        "We had a question to ask..." Ranma began, pulling Ryoga around in
front of him.
        "What-?" Cologne gasped.  Ranma shook his head warningly at her.
        "Hey, Ryoga," Ranma said.  "Why don't you sit down for a minute,
Ok?  Cologne and I need to talk."
        "Ok," Ryoga said agreeably, shrugging his pack off with a sigh of
relief.  Ranma followed Cologne into the kitchen.
        "What happened to him?" the old woman asked.  Ranma explained as
well as he could and handed over the mushroom cap.  Cologne puzzled over it
for a moment and then made her way out to the dining area, followed by her
would-be son-in-law.  She and Ranma both froze as they saw Ryoga.  The Lost
Boy had his head down on his crossed arms, and was fast asleep -- and he
appeared to be even younger!  Ranma guessed him at around nine years old
now.
        "Hey, Ryoga!" Ranma called.  Ryoga jumped up with a start and gazed
around him, confused.
        "Where am I?" he asked, rubbing his bleary eyes.  "Who are you?"
        "I'm Ranma.  Don't you remember me?"
        Ryoga shook his head, puzzled.  "No," he said, "I have to go.  I'm
not allowed to talk to strangers."
        Ranma paused a moment.  If Ryoga was "losing time," of course he
wouldn't remember Ranma.  At this age, they wouldn't have met yet.  "But
I'm not a stranger," Ranma said.  "Don't you remember, I bought you ice
cream and you gave me a mushroom?"
        "I had a mushroom from breakfast..." Ryoga said after a moment's
thought.  "And I did eat some ice cream, it was good."  Ranma stifled a
sigh of relief.  At least the kid could remember the events of the day!
        "And you gave the mushroom to me.  See?  Here it is," Ranma said,
pointing at the mushroom in Cologne's hand.
        "Oh, yeah!" Ryoga said with a grin.  "So you're not a stranger
after all!"
        "Ryoga, I have some questions I need to ask you about this
mushroom.  Will you help me?" Cologne asked.  Ryoga thought for a minute,
decided that Cologne wasn't a very intimidating-looking stranger, and
nodded his agreement.
        "Where did you find this mushroom?" Cologne asked first.
        "On a tree."
        Ranma sighed.  This was going to be a LONG conversation.
        Over the course of the next half hour, Cologne patiently extracted
one piece of the story at a time, while Ranma paced impatiently behind her.
Gradually Ryoga revealed that he had found the mushrooms growing on a tree
shaped like a "4," and that he had only taken the tops.  Ranma and Cologne
hurried back into the kitchen.
        "So, now what?" Ranma asked in a whisper.
        "I've heard tales of a tree growing in that shape.  Shampoo and I
are going to go try to find it," Cologne answered.  "You take care of
Ryoga, and don't let him get lost.  There's no telling how much time we
have before he ages down to nothing."
        "Take care of Ryoga, right," Ranma muttered.  "Hey, wait, what good
will finding the tree do?"
        "We have to get the mushroom stems and get Ryoga to eat them.
According to the legends, it's the only thing that might reverse the
process."
        "What if that don't work?" Ranma asked.
        "Then you make him comfortable for his last days on Earth.  You got
any better ideas, son-in-law?  No?  I didn't think so.  Now, go on, I have
preparations to make before I can leave."
        Ranma turned to go and then paused in the doorway.
        "Thanks for helping him," he said sincerely.
        "I may have used him in an attempt to get you to honor your
obligations," Cologne answered with a tiny wry smile, "but I do have a soft
spot for the boy.  I'll do everything I can to help him."
        Ranma nodded at her and then went back out to the dining room.
        "Airen!" cried a familiar voice, and then Shampoo appeared as if
from nowhere to grab him in a fierce hug.
        "Shampoo!" Cologne called from behind the counter.  "Come here,
there is something I must discuss with you."  The old woman tossed Ranma a
knowing grin as her disappointed great-granddaughter obediently followed
her into the kitchen.
        "Come on, Ryoga, let's go," Ranma said, leading the Lost Boy out of
the restaurant.  Ryoga stared after Shampoo for a minute before hurrying to
catch up to Ranma.
        "I can't go anywhere, I have to get home," Ryoga said, as he noted
that the sky was turning pink with the beginning of a beautiful sunset.  A
frightened look passed over Ryoga's face as he admitted, "But I don't know
where home is."
        "Well, why don't you stay at my house, then?" Ranma answered.
"We'll try and call your parents from there, Ok?"
        "Ok!" Ryoga said with a grin.  "Do your folks mind if I sleep over?"
        "Well, I'll ask when we get there," Ranma answered.
        Ranma stole a glance at the boy as they walked, and noticed that
Ryoga was struggling with his oversized clothing.  His bandanna sagged over
one eye and the shoulder seams of his yellow shirt hung about halfway down
his arms, leaving the sleeves to flap around his hands.  One hand clutched
the waistband of his pants through several layers of shirt sleeve in an
effort to preserve his modesty, and  his customary leg bindings sagged
around his ankles and dragged under his feet as if waiting for a chance to
trip him.  The poor boy was panting with the effort of carrying his heavy
pack on his back and trying to tighten his belt.
        "Here, let me help," Ranma said a little impatiently, and folded
Ryoga's sleeves up for him.  Ryoga waited meekly while he did this, then
adjusted his belt and bandanna.  He also turned over the backpack without
protest; in fact, he sighed in relief when Ranma indicated that he'd carry
it.  Ryoga quickly retied his leg bindings while Ranma heaved the pack onto
his shoulders with a grunt of surprise.
        "Geez, Ryoga, what do you put in this thing?" Ranma grumbled.
        "It's all my stuff," the boy said apologetically.

*******

        As they made their way to the Tendo house, Ranma wondered how he
could explain to the others about Ryoga's problem without upsetting him.
The kid didn't seem to have any idea that he was ageing backwards, and
Ranma had already stuck his foot in his mouth twice today.  Ryoga was so
sensitive under normal circumstances; there was no telling how he'd cope
with everyone's reactions.  By the time they got to the house, Ranma had
come up with a plan.
        "Ok, Ryoga, this here's the Dojo," Ranma said, dropping the pack in
the middle of the floor with a thud and a sigh of relief.  "I want you to
wait here for just a minute, Ok?  My folks won't let you stay over if
you're with me when I ask them.  After they say yes, we'll go call your
parents."
        "Ok..." Ryoga said a little hesitantly, gazing at the Dojo's bare
walls.  Ranma looked back at him before walking out the doorway.  The poor
kid looked totally lost...

*******

        "WHAT?" Akane gasped, shocked.  Kasumi and Nabiki seemed equally
surprised.
        "I'm tellin' ya, he ate some more crummy mushrooms and now he's a
kid," Ranma announced.  Akane's expression changed as Ranma related the
story, from skepticism to resignation.
        "The poor guy," Akane said sadly.
        "I want to keep him here until Cologne comes back," Ranma said,
tactfully avoiding any mention of Shampoo's name.
        "Why?  Won't he want to be with his parents?" Akane asked.  "I
mean, if he's just a little boy, he'll want to be at home, right?"
        "He'll be better off here.  You don't know his parents, Akane, but
believe me, he'll be happier with us."
        "What's wrong with his parents?" Nabiki asked curiously.
        "They weren't very nice to him, OK?  They fought all the time, and
took off for weeks at a time.  I think half the time he was left to take
care of himself."
        "That's awful!" Akane gasped.
        "So, what will happen if Cologne doesn't get back in time with the
mushroom stems?" Kasumi asked.
        "I'm more curious to know where Ryoga is right now," Nabiki interrupted.
        "I told him to wait in the Dojo till I had a chance to explain,"
Ranma answered.
        "Well, don't you think you should go get him, then?" Nabiki asked,
raising an eyebrow.  "I mean, from what you've said, he's a child now.  He
won't just patiently wait for you all evening."
        "Oh, no," Akane said, her eyes widening.  "We'd better go bring him
in before he wanders off!"
        "I'll go get his bed ready," Kasumi offered cheerfully.  "How old
did you say he was again, Ranma?"
        "Around nine."

*******

        Ranma and Akane walked quickly to the Dojo in silence, each of them
deep in thought.
        "Oh, no!" Ranma shouted, as he cleared the doorway and looked
inside.  Akane gasped behind him as she too saw the four-year-old curled up
against Ryoga's backpack.
        "Aw, man, it's happening when he sleeps!  Hey, Ryoga, wake up!"
Ranma cried, bounding over to shake the boy.  Ryoga woke up, looked at his
strange surroundings, and started to cry.
        "Where's Mommy?" he wailed.
        "Oh, it's Ok, Ryoga," Akane said soothingly, kneeling down to pat
his shoulder.  "We're your friends.  We'll take care of you till your Mommy
comes."
        "You will?" Ryoga sniffled.
        "Sure, we will," Ranma agreed.  "Now stop crying, men don't cry."
        "Ranma, he's a little boy right now, not a man," Akane said
defensively.  "And men can, too, cry!"
        "Please don't fight," Ryoga interrupted in a quavering voice, his
eyes welling up with fresh tears.  "I didn't mean to make you fight!"
        "Yeah, whatever," Ranma said, glancing away uncomfortably.  "Let's
go see if dinner's ready yet."
        "Maybe we'll have time to find you some clothes before we eat,"
Akane said cheerfully.  "I still have that little jumpsuit from last time."
Ryoga looked down at the huge clothes puddled around him, then lifted one
floppy sleeve to wipe his nose.
        "Will my Mommy come soon?" he asked.
        Akane stared at him speechlessly, flustered.
        "I'm sure she'll come just as soon as she can," Ranma interrupted.
Ryoga nodded solemnly in response, and Ranma cocked an eyebrow at Akane's
disapproving frown.  After all, he hadn't exactly lied...