I haven't written anything for the last two months. I haven't
gotten any feedback in the last two months. I guess this is my El Ni�o.
---------------
The Leper
Part 11
"Runaway Horse"
by Nikholas "NomaD" F. Toledo
Ranma 1/2 is the property of Kitty, VIZ and the omnipotent Rumiko
Takahashi. I am a property of Switch (so you know who to sue).
I am NomaD... I am coming... I am near...
Don't expect any summaries...
Names and spellings have been explained in part 1...
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WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!
What can't kill you makes you stronger... and more cynical.
- Jessica Zafra
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For whatever sense Ranma had in him, it was not at all visible
right now. Never had anyone seen the young Saotome in this much rage.
Ranma raised his hand once more, but before he could strike her, Soun
Tendo's fatherly instinct kicked in. Soun caught the striking hand.
"Lay one more finger on my dear Akane and you will pay dearly,
young man."
"Really, Soun? I'd like to see you try."
Ranma sneered at the father figure. Ryouga and Genma maneuvered
themselves behind Ranma. Ukyou and Kasumi blocked Ranma from the weeping
Akane and immediately brought her to the kitchen before any more harm was
done. Soun wasn't one to back out from a threat (unless it was from the
master).
"Then so be it..."
Soun charged Ranma from the front while Genma and Ryouga took him
from the flank. It only lasted a few seconds. Ranma stood over the mass
of bodies. Soun stood up with what was left of his pride.
"Ranma, for your dishonorable display towards my precious Akane.
I, Soun Tendo, of the Tendo School of Indiscriminate Grappling, do hereby
denounce you as rightful heir. And, from this day forth, you are no
longer engaged to my..."
"Aw, shut your crap, Soun! I never wanted your crummy school, much
less your crummy daughter, in the first place! This was all my stupid
father's idea!"
It was Genma's turn to put his pride up.
"Then, from this day forth, I, Genma Saotome, of the Saotome School
of Anything Goes Martial Arts, no longer have a son!"
Ranma produced a bucket of water and made his father shut up.
"And I no longer have a blood-sucking father! Thank goodness!"
Ranma turned to leave but not before being whacked by a panda
carrying a sign which had "INGRATE" in big, bold letters.
A raging, fiery aura burst from behind the two elderly men.
"Oh, geez... not you, too..."
Ryouga got up and gave Ranma a murderous look.
"RANMA, YOU ANIMAL!!! How dare you hit Akane! This time, you've
gone too far! I'll make sure that you'll never hurt Akane again! You're
gonna pay with your life, Saotome!"
Ryouga charged, fist ready. Ranma sidestepped, leg stuck out.
*trip* *crash!*
"I don't know about you losers, but I'm outta here."
Ranma nonchalantly left the Tendo household as if nothing had
happened.
Ryouga regained his consciousness only to find out that Ranma was
nowhere in sight.
"RANMA, YOU COWARD! I WILL NOT LET YOU GET AWAY! NOT THIS TIME,
NOT EVER!!!"
Ryouga ran for the door but quickly retraced his steps. He found a
wall he could break through and resumed his pursuit.
----------
The dining area was now void of clashing, masculine prides, but the
story in the kitchen was the exact opposite. Feminine compassion
embraced the still-weeping Akane.
"Akane... this may sound weird to you, but I assure you that the
man that just... did that to you is not Ranchan."
"Oh, please, Ukyou..." *sniff* "don't even try..." *whimper* "I
know that it was Ranma who hit me. I can't believe this..." *sob* "all
this time - I knew he hated me, but I never expected things to end like
this..."
Kasumi held Akane's head to her breast to ease her sobbing.
"Akane, don't say things like that. You know they're not true.
I'm sure that there's a perfectly reasonable explanation why Ranma acted
that way."
Kasumi even gave her sister her trademark contagious, angelic
smile, but even this didn't seem enough.
"Thanks, sis, but... I just don't know. I just thought that I knew
him, but now this. I just didn't know that it would hurt this much. I
just didn't know that he was capable of doing this."
"But that's what I've been trying to tell you, Akane! Ranma's been
hypnotized!"
"W-What? Hypnotized? By whom?"
"By... by Kii..."
The girls all became quiet. Akane was quite stirred by this.
Kasumi just had a very sorry look on her face. Ukyou's eyes began
swelling up.
"I-I'm sorry. This is all my fault. If I didn't kick him out
because of my jealousy, if I didn't break of the engagement, then he
wouldn't have to stay here where Nabiki could switch his bandages."
Akane didn't know what to say except...
"No, don't say that, Ukyou! It's not your fault. It's my wicked
sister who thinks mostly of herself. Stop crying, now. If what you say
is true, then Ranma would snap out of it somehow. He's always been
there, not just for me but for all of us, even if it's his fault most of
the time. I believe in him."
"Somehow I believe it, too, Akane, but it's really Kii I'm worried
about. Nabiki and the Amazons have driven him to the point of
desperation. I have expected him to be here, but now, I don't even know
where to start looking for him. For all I know, he's packed his stuff
and left."
"Who left?"
Just then, Nabiki emerged from the kitchen door. She was nibbling
on a biscuit and was totally clueless of what just occurred. The three
women glared at the unsuspecting Nabiki.
"YOU!!!"
"W-What'd I do, now?"
"As if you didn't know..."
Nabiki just matched Ukyou's gaze and breathed a sigh.
"Okay... what ensued after whatever devious deed I've done?"
"Much better."
Kasumi approached her sister with crooked brows. If anyone ever
imagined an angry Kasumi, then this was what it probably looked like.
"Nabiki, how could you? Because of you, Ranma just broke off his
engagement to Akane. Now, father is incredibly angry, ashamed and
disappointed and Uncle Saotome just denounced his own son!"
A look of ignorance and disbelief was Nabiki's initial reply.
"M-Me? I did that? That can't be right."
"You bet it is, sis, and it's all because of your silly revenge on
Kii."
"What's that coward got to do with all this?"
The trio just breathed a sigh and began explaining to the perplexed
Nabiki the events of the day.
----------
Nekohanten...
"Shampoo."
"Yes, great-grandmother?"
"You better find the groom now. I have a feeling that the young
Niwatori has succeeded in what he was set out to do."
"You mean Ranma-darling not engage to dorky tomboy no more?"
"Let's just say that he's all yours for the picking."
"Shampoo so happy. I gonna put on something nice for Ranma and..."
"SHAMPOO!"
Shampoo immediately seized her daydreaming and paid complete
attention to her grandmother.
"Yes, great-grandmother?"
"Do NOT fail."
"Yes, great-grandmother. Shampoo understand."
Without a fuss, Shampoo went out of the restaurant. Cologne then
turned around.
"And where do you think you're going?"
Mousse was caught tip-toeing out of the backdoor. He immediately
turned red and was readying himself at getting whacked.
"W-W-W-WHAT? YOU CAN'T KEEP ME LOCKED IN LIKE THIS? I'VE FINISHED
MY WORK, AND I DESERVE TO BE GIVEN A BREAK ONCE IN A WHILE!
FURTHERMORE..."
"You can leave."
"... I AM SICK AND TIRED OF THIS HARRASSMENT! LET ME REMIND YOU
THAT I AM ONLY DOING THIS FOR ME AND MY SHAMPOO'S FUTURE HAPPINE- what
did you say?"
"I said, 'you may leave'."
"R-Really? You mean it?"
"Yes, child. Now go, before I change my mind."
Mousse dashed for the exit, just in case Cologne did change her
mind. Cologne was left to herself now. She took her time watching the
young man leave.
"He's planning something, but something inside me tells me that
this must be how things are to be done. I can feel the fear again. It
looks like this opera's about to end and the finale's but a stone throw
away."
Cologne started closing the restaurant for the day.
----------
"RANMA! COME BACK HERE, YOU COWARD!!! You're not gonna run
away..."
Ranma sprinted on the wire-fencing with ease. Just right behind
him was Ryouga who had no plans on giving up on the chase.
"I SAID, 'COME BACK'!!!"
Ranma skidded to a stop and faced Ryouga, all in a span of an eye
blink. Ryouga almost lost his footing at Ranma's change of momentum. He
managed to stop himself before loosing his balance and falling down the
river below. He eyed the water warily.
"Dammit, Ryouga! What the hell is it that you want from me?!?
Just leave me alone, will ya?"
"I can't do that, Saotome. You can't just walk away as if
nothing's happened after dishonoring Akane like that!"
"What the hell's YOUR problem? I thought you wanted me to leave
her! Go ahead, P-chan - go to your precious Akane!"
Ryouga began glowing a fiery red. "I will not have you insulting
Akane OR me! Prepare to die, Saotome!!!"
Ryouga charged Ranma, but before he could lay a finger on his
adversary, Ranma twisted his body and gave Ryouga a sweep, while still
maintaining his balance on the fence. Ryouga fell harmlessly into the
water.
"RANMA, YOU BAST-" *SPLASH!!!* "BWEEEE!!!"
"Yeah, whatever. So long, pig."
Ranma waited until he couldn't see the little, black pig anymore.
"So much for that... Now, what do I do? I can do virtually
anything I want now, but nothing seems to come to mind. At least my
jerk-of-a-father's not with me to mess things up."
Ranma jumped off the fence and proceeded to a walk.
"NOW where do I go? It's past dinnertime... Gotta find myself a
place to stay. Can't go back now, not that I want to. But the only
place I know where I could stay is with Sham-"
"Nihao, Ranma!!!"
Two slender arms grabbed Ranma from the back. Ranma froze for a
second then proceeded in removing the Amazon on his back. Shampoo
nuzzled Ranma's nape, which sent shivers down Ranma's spine.
"G-g-g-gyah! Get off me, Shampoo!"
"Oh, Ranma. Shampoo miss you very much. Today is special day,
yes? You go ask to marry Shampoo, now?"
Finally, Ranma got Shampoo off and backed away with bulging eyes.
"M-Marry? What the HELL are you talking about?"
Shampoo gave Ranma a look of ignorance. Giant question marks began
popping above Shampoo's head.
"But Ranma leave Akane, yes?"
"Yeah? SO?"
"So Ranma go marry Shampoo now."
Now it was Ranma's turn to pop question marks above his head.
"HUH?"
"Shampoo so happy!"
Shampoo made a running grab but Ranma ducked just in time and
avoided the soaring Amazon. Sensing nothing in her arms, Shampoo turned
around and glared at Ranma.
"What matter with Ranma?!? He go break up with Akane and not be
engaged anymore. Now you free, Ranma... so how come you won't marry
Shampoo?!?"
"Shampoo... I..."
"Is it because you hate Shampoo so much?"
Shampoo bit her upper lip and tears began to appear in her eyes.
"All this time, Shampoo wait for Ranma-darling because Shampoo know
that Ranma can get no married to Shampoo, because Ranma engaged to Akane
first. All this time, Shampoo try eliminate Akane so Ranma no get
engaged to Akane no more, and Shampoo get married to Ranma for own self.
But now Ranma IS no more engaged to Akane, so how come Ranma won't marry
Shampoo?" *whimper, whimper* "Shampoo very willing..."
Shampoo grabbed Ranma's shirt, but not in a rough way - she nestled
her head on his chest. Ranma did not hold her but neither did he move
away. Shampoo never felt this safe in her lover's arms. Ranma could
feel his chest getting soaked. Ranma could feel fits of sobbing slowing
down.
"Shampoo still remember first time Shampoo meet Ranma. Shampoo go
to ends of Earth just to kill Ranma-girl. But then, Shampoo learn about
Nannichuan and Shampoo no longer hate Ranma. Ranma Shampoo first
kiss..." *blush* "Even if... even if Ranma no beat Shampoo, Shampoo
still be glad to marry big, strong Ranma..."
"Shampoo, I'm sorry, I can't... It's just that Akane..."
Shampoo violently pushed Ranma away, but not strong enough to make
him fall. Shampoo's face was a mix of anger and despair.
"There you go again, Ranma - always Akane! You no engaged anymore!
Ranma already tell Akane how much Ranma hate her! WHY YOU NO STOP,
RANMA?!? WHY YOU NO STOP?!?"
Ranma wasn't listening now, for his mind was in a great turmoil.
"M-Me, hate Akane? W-What? I don't..."
Then, the cloud in his mind lifted and the blanket of hate was
gone. His eyes no longer burned sickly red, for the fire was quenched by
rising tears.
"... OH MY GOD! WHAT HAVE I DONE! AKANE... WHAT HAVE I DONE!!!"
Ranma held them back in the last minute.
Shampoo stared in his eyes, those sweet, concerned eyes. She then
looked down, grieving, understanding, but not accepting.
"Shampoo, I've gotta..."
"... Go..."
"... wha?..."
"Go... Akane wait for you, yes?"
"Yeah, but what about...?"
"Shampoo be all right..."
Ranma moved closer and held the Amazon's shoulders. Shampoo did
not/could not meet his gaze.
"Thank you, thank you for understanding..."
"Ranma?"
"Uh, yeah?"
Shampoo lifted her head and gave Ranma a faint smile. It took a
lot of effort from her and it held no happiness.
"Just remember... if Akane no want Ranma no more... Sh-Shampoo
still be here, okay?"
Ranma was taken aback by this. He then stroked a tear on Shampoo's
cheek and returned her smile.
"Okay. I promise."
With that, Ranma ran off leaving the Amazon alone on the street in
the middle of the night. If Ranma glanced back at the Amazon, he would
have seen her fall to her knees. But he didn't, and so it was.
----------
She held her hand up then took it back again. She looked at both
ends of the hall and found them empty. She shrugged the unnerving
feeling off and knocked.
*nok, nok*
"Come in..."
"Um, Akane?"
"Oh, Nabiki."
Nabiki looked around her sister's room, as if seeing it for the
first time, but in truth, she was just trying to avoid Akane's gaze.
"Look, um... I just came here to..."
"You don't have to. What's done is done..."
Nabiki took a step forward and inhaled deeply. She promised
herself that she will not let her sister get the better of her. This
apology was going to push through, no matter what.
"No! Don't interrupt, please! This is probably one of the rare
times that you'll see Nabiki Tendo sincerely apologize, so please... just
let me get this out of my system."
A pause.
"O-okay, sis, I'm sorry. Please go on..."
"First of all... You very well know that I wouldn't do anything
that could hurt my little sister like this. Sure, I sell Ranma to the
highest bidder at times for a date, but I would never jeopardize my own
sister's engagement! That's the last thing that I wanted to do, and it
came as a big shock for this to happen. All I wanted to do was teach
that twerp a lesson..."
This time Akane HAD to interrupt. She just couldn't stay quiet
while her sister lambasted Kii.
"That 'TWERP' has a name, Nabiki. And why is that? Why'd you have
to give him a lesson? What's he done to you? He made you lose money, is
that it? Is all of this for your crummy financial stature? Does money
mean that much to -?"
"Now hold it right there!"
Forgetting that she was there to apologize, Nabiki Tendo pointed
her finger at her sister. Her eyes were flaring and she couldn't stop
shaking in anger. "It IS not about money!"
A very long significant pause, and a sweat drop.
"It IS not ENTIRELY about money! It's a matter of pride, Akane.
You should know about pride! That's all that's keeping you and Saotome
from shacking up!!!"
Akane quickly blushed and felt that she's just been stripped of her
clothing in a roomful of people. "N-Nabiki!!!"
But Nabiki wasn't listening. She had the situation in her hands
now and she wasn't about to let it go.
"Don't you get it Akane? THIS!" Nabiki pointed to herself as if
she was the size of a house. "ALL THIS! IT'S ALL I HAVE!!! I'm not a
martial artist like you whose engaged to a great guy like Ranma... I'm
not skillful in housework and cooking like Kasumi, who'll make a great
housewife someday. All I have is my skill... embezzling, gambling,
black-mailing... call it what you like! It's what I'm good at! It's the
only thing I'm good at and I doubt these qualities will land me an honest
man! But HE, Kiiroi Niwatori, shamed me of my profession - not once, but
twice! I was NOT going to let him just get away with it! I had to make
him feel sorry that he ever crossed my path!"
"He didn't even know he was doing all that!"
"I DON'T CARE!!!"
"Well... Look what your not-caring has done now..."
"I..."
Nabiki lost track of what she was going to say. All the anger
disappeared and she felt the shame resurface.
"I-I came here to apologize... I haven't been doing a good job at
it. Though I had no idea it would lead to this, I am still truly sorry.
Akane, please forgi-"
"Oh, Nabiki..."
Akane cut her off by giving her sister a big hug. Nabiki was not
one for Kodak moments but she half-heartedly returned the embrace. Akane
took a moment before letting go, and when she did, her eyes were all
misty.
"Akane, I would do anything just to take back what happened."
"I know, sis."
"Akane..."
"AKAANEEEE!!!"
"Huh?"
The tender moment between the sisters was shattered by a piercing
cry in the night. It came from outside, by the...
"... by the gate..."
Akane looked at her sister, and her heart almost jumped out of her
chest. They both ran to the window.
"R-Ranma?!?"
True enough, Ranma was just outside on the wall opposite the gate.
"Why won't he just come in?"
"He can't, he's dishonored himself. He's not part of the household
anymore."
"Well, what are you waiting for? Open the window, Akane!"
*creak*
"AKANE! I'M SORRY! I'M SO SORRY! I DON'T KNOW WHAT CAME OVER ME!
YOU KNOW I'D NEVER DO A THING LIKE THAT TO YOU!"
"Ranma..."
It took Akane all her will power not to jump out of her window and
into his arms.
"Ranma, I know!"
"Y-YOU DO? KNOW WHAT?"
"Ranma, you were hyp-"
*CREEEEAAAAAK!!!*
But Akane was rudely interrupted by an opening gate - outside now
stood Soun Tendo and Genma Saotome.
"Akane?"
Kasumi entered with Ukyou to see what was going on.
"Is that Ranchan?"
----------
"RANMA, YOU DARE RETURN AFTER THE HUMILIATION THAT YOU HAVE CAUSED!
YOU'VE DONE ENOUGH TROUBLE FOR ONE NIGHT, NOW LEAVE!!!"
"Mr. Tendo, I'm so sorry! I know I've dishonored your family
but..."
"NO BUTS, YOUNG MAN! YOU ARE NO LONGER PART OF THIS FAMILY!!!"
"Pops?!? Please, not you, too? Look, I'm sure we can settle this
like civilized..."
"Civilized? CIVILIZED?!? How dare you speak of being 'civilized'
after what you did to my Akane?!?"
"I know what I did! I just don't know why I did it! I'm only
starting to remember it all now!"
"That's no excuse, Ranma! All has been said! Now leave, and DO
NOT bother this family again!"
"Mr. Tendo! Pops!"
But the gate was now closing and there was nothing else to be said.
Ranma stared up to Akane's window. Up there, Akane was surrounded by the
three girls. Their faces showed how they felt but it was Akane's face
which touched him. She seemed so hurt and so lost - that's how he felt,
now that they weren't engaged anymore - both of them asking themselves,
"What do I do now?" Then Akane leaned over her window and shouted with
streaming tears.
"DON'T YOU DARE GIVE UP, RANMA! YOU JERK! YOU ARE NOT GOING TO
LEAVE! YOU WILL DO SOMETHING, YOU HAVE TO... You have to..."
Akane felt all her strength slip away. Kasumi caught her sister
before she collapsed. All that Ranma could do was reach out and touch
thin air.
"I WILL do something about it. But what?"
A very long pause - Ranma gave himself time to think but the nuts
and bolts in his brain creaked with rust.
"Aw, this is hopeless! What could I possibly..."
Only then did he realize that the answer was just in front of him
all this time.
"That's it! I GOT IT!!!"
Ranma sped off and disappeared into the street corner.
In front of the Tendo Residence read:
TENDO DOJO
School of Indiscriminate Grappling
And just below that:
To defeat owner in savage combat, use rear door.
--------------
end of part 11
--------------
Look Ma, no Kii's. Some of my friends have been bugging me about
it so tell me what you think. Do I give Kii and Ukyou a lemony scene
before I end this fic? If I don't receive at least one mail that says
'No, do not give the two a lemon scene' then I'll probably go with it.
Just mail me at the "Nikholas F. Toledo Zu" at niftol@i-manila.com.ph,
care of NomaD.
I'd like to thank the following people:
Switch, haven't seen him.
Nomadess, haven't seen her.
Elf, haven't seen it.
Sex isn't everything... but it IS something.
-NomaD-
:):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):)
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