Disclaimer: All characters portrayed in this story are the property of
the Rumiko Takahashi and co.
This story takes place after volume 38 of the Ranma manga and also draws
ideas from the anime.
This is a side story to my next generation series, Another Time, Same
Place. You do not really need to read that series to enjoy this. The
only thing that needs to be known is that Ranma has disappeared after
making a wish on a cursed magical brooch.
C & C welcomed.
Another Time, Same Place: Life Goes On
By
Donny Cheng
Side Story
"Akane you have to eat something. That's it. That's a good girl,"
Ryoga said as he spooned another scoop of rice into Akane's slack jawed
mouth.
Kasumi cast a worried glance at Akane before turning her attentions
back to her father. "Daddy, see? Akane's eating. Why don't you try
some also?"
Nabiki sighed and tried to turn a death ear to the proceedings. She
had tried to stay up in her room so that she would not be able to see
her dad and sister like this. They were basically vegetables ever since
they had gotten back from China, after Ranma has disappeared into thin
air. However, she found herself filled with apprehension as she stayed
up in her room, wondering that if her father and Akane would ever wake
up from whatever nightmare they lived within their minds. Nabiki found
herself peaking into the living room every so often, enough that she
finally decided to just stay by their side.
Nabiki sighed as she cursed Ranma again in her mind. She must have
cursed him over a hundred times since the fatal wish. The stupid jerk
was the cause of all this as usual. It was so easy to fault him for
this, but even Nabiki found it increasingly harder to do so. They had
_all_ been caught up in the prospect of having a wish being granted to
them, including herself. For the first time since Ranma appeared, their
foolishness had cost them one of their own. And with his absence,
everyone paid the price.
From what she had heard, Shampoo had locked herself up in her room in
the Nekohanten, believing she was the cause for Ranma's disappearance
because she had found the wishing broach. Ukyo had not stepped foot out
of Ucchan's since they had gotten back also. Ten years of searching for
Ranma down the drain, Nabiki supposed was not something easily
swallowed. Kodachi had been sent to the mental institution after she
had gone crazy and attacked Ranma's other suitors, blaming them for the
incident. Kuno was not much better after it was explained to him that
his 'pigtailed goddess' was gone now that her 'master' was gone. His
sister and Akane not in their right minds did not help things. Mousse's
mourning was the real surprise. However, Nabiki suspected it was more
for the way Ranma affected Shampoo than any real grief over Ranma
himself.
Nabiki couldn't resist any longer and turned to look at the two still
figures being cared for. Their eyes remained blank, staring into
nothing. She could hear her father muttering about his hopes and dreams
being shattered. Nothing came out of Akane's mouth. It was an
increasingly annoying familiar scene. *Damn you, Ranma.*
* * * * *
Kuno lay on his back and looked up at the ceiling. Two pictures hung
up there, taunting and teasing him at the same time. He turned to his
side. More pictures flaunted their beauty at him. Finally, he closed
his eyes. It did not help at all. In his mind he could still see them
as clearly as if they were standing beside him. He opened his eyes.
The smiling face of the pigtailed girl and Tendo Akane greeted him. It
was true that he had often been led astray by the sight of others such
as that amazon that claimed Saotome to be her husband, but his heart
always came back to this mysterious girl and his first love.
Ranma. The name brought with it a hatred and longing that left him
confused as it always did. The vile Saotome did not deserve to be
mentioned in the same breath as the goddess much less have the same name
that Kuno held dear to in his heart. *Saotome! I would wish myself
gone and you here even if she would still be within your clutches. At
the very least she would still be alive.*
Akane. She was still alive, but she was only a shadow of her former
glory. A pretty shell with nothing inside of it was still just a
shell. Kuno had thought that Saotome's 'death' would free the proud
girl he had fallen in love with the first time he had met her, but he
had been so very wrong.
* * * * *
"Akane, I do not know what has happened, but it appears that the
sorcerer that held you and the pigtailed girl will never come back,"
Kuno said as he watched over the group of girls that sat at the clearing
from where Ranma was last seen. For some odd reason, though Saotome was
gone, his hold over the various girls, including Kodachi, was still
strong as ever. What had been even stranger had been the disappearance
of the pigtailed goddess.
Akane's dull eyes flashed with hatred as Kuno's words reached her. Her
hand shot out with ferocious speed and grabbed his shirt. Roughly, she
pulled him to her until his face was an inch from her own. "Kuno. If
you ever say that again, I will _hurt_ you. Ranma _is_ coming back.
And for the last time, he has _not_ cast a spell over me. I am with him
willingly," Akane said, not taking her eyes off of Kuno until he
acknowledged what she said.
*Ranma, I admit it. Where are you? I give up. I'll say if first, if
you would only come back,* Akane wailed in her mind. She imagined
seeing him pop up and laughing at her for being so stupid. She would
yell at him and tell him that she was lying. But it never happened.
Ranma still didn't pop up.
Kuno was shaken as Akane released him. Indignantly, he patted his
crumpled gi down until it was smooth again. *I see your power extends
from beyond the grave Saotome.* He sighed as Akane's expressive eyes,
eyes that drew him in the first time he saw them, became dull once
again. Like a drone, she went back to waiting for Ranma's return with
the same obsession that the other three girls in the area possessed.
* * * * *
Kuno sat up on his bed. He would give anything to see the fierce gaze
of his warrioress again. So raw and intense were her eyes that day he
bumped into her at the start of the semester, he doubted he could ever
forget them and he never did. Yes. He could see it so clearly now.
The pigtailed girl, he refused to call her, Ranma, may be gone, but
Akane was not. As long as her body was still here, she might still be
saved.
Kuno paused for a moment as he stood up and changed into his normal
attire. A picture of his sister on the nightstand caught his
attention. They had taken his sister away just a few days ago. He
tried to summon some feeling, any feeling on the matter and found that
he could not. It was not that he did not care for his sister. Despite
all the squabbles that they got into, he did care for her. He had taken
care of her since their father had left for Hawaii all those years ago,
but somehow they drifted apart. He supposed that it had begun sometime
when Kodachi won her first match in gymnastics. Overnight, it seemed
that she didn't need him to watch over her anymore. Their relationship
had never been the same since.
Kuno took up the picture and let a finger graze across Kodachi's
cheek. *How lucky you are, sister. So easy for you to escape
reality.* Kodachi was in hands far more capable to taking care of her
than he would ever be able to. In some ways, Kuno found himself jealous
of that fact. He shook his head to clear it of the folly he was
thinking. Folly to be envious of being crazy, was it not?
* * * * *
"Nabiki, please."
Nabiki sighed as Kasumi pleaded again. It was useless trying to reason
with her. What Kasumi wanted was just impossible. "Kasumi, I can't
keep him away forever. The last time I thought for sure he would barge
his way in. He seriously thinks Akane needs _him_ to save her."
"I'm sure you can think of something. Please, do this for Akane,
Nabiki. She doesn't need this right now."
"Alright, alright. I'll take care of him," Nabiki finally agreed. She
got up and stomped over to the front door. The problem with Kuno was
that in a contest about stubbornness, he might have beaten Ranma. The
more you tried to deny him something the stronger he tried to get it.
If she couldn't outright tell him that he could not see Akane, she would
have to divert his attention.
"Oh, it is you, Nabiki," Kuno sniffed. "I was hoping to see your
sister today. Is she well enough to see visitors today? Surely her
health has gotten better by now. And if she is not better, this illness
is worse than I thought. I must see her."
Nabiki frowned. She had known that Kuno would not take no for an
answer sooner or later. Kasumi was right; Akane didn't need this right
now. Also, Kuno's safety might be in doubt should he try to see her.
Nabiki shuddered as she recalled the only time her sister was out of her
funk. It had been only to look at Kuno with a hatred that made her
fearful for her cash cow's life. Once he goes spouting off about Ranma
there was bound to be violence. "She is much better right now actually,
but sleeping. Why don't you let her rest for another hour, okay? In
the mean time, I have something to talk to you about."
*She is well! Truly, this day of our reunion was fated,* Kuno smiled.
"Very well, Nabiki. I shall do business with you for the moment.
Perchance, you have more photos of your sister? Or have you found the
last remaining photos of the pigtailed girl?"
"Business? Who said anything about business?" Nabiki asked as she
wrapped an arm over one of Kuno's and hugged it to her body. "I wanted
to talk about us. You see, I've had the greatest crush on you, Kuno,
for the longest time. With my sister now better, I fear my only
competition will once again ensnare your heart." Nabiki had the
satisfaction of watching Kuno's jaw become unglued to the rest of his
face.
* * * * *
Kuno sat at the restaurant and found that he could only stare at the
middle Tendo sister. It seemed that the girl was truly smitten with
him. It was understandable, but not something he could deal with. When
he had tried to let her down gently, the girl had cried and went on
about telling Akane how he had hurt her. A very difficult situation.
Nabiki tried her best to look demure and hurt. She took a finger and
started to circle the rim of her glass of water, while her head was
bowed down, her eyes careful to avoid contact with the boy in front of
her. "I know that your heart belongs to my sister, but I find myself
irresistibly drawn to you. All I ask is that you let me be your girl
friend for a few weeks. I won't bother you ever again after that."
*Why did I not see this? The meetings about selling pictures had all
been a pretext to see me. How it must have wounded her heart to give me
the images of my loves, her rivals. I must tread over this carefully.
I do not wish for Tendo Akane to hate me for any poorly conceived notion
that I had hurt her dear sister,* Kuno thought gravely. "Very well,
Nabiki. I shall let you date me."
"Oh, Kuno-chan!" Nabiki said, fluttering her eyes exaggeratedly. *I
think I'm going to be sick. You owe me one big time, little sister.*
* * * * *
"Bwee!"
Akari looked up from the pigpen. "Ryoga?"
No, it wasn't him, just one of her pigs. *Silly piglet. Why do you
keep thinking he'll be back?* Akari asked herself.
Their parting had been strained, but a reasonably amicable one. Ryoga
had looked so sad worried about how she might react. He had been
surprised when she had said 'okay' and gave him a peck on his cheek.
The relief and concern he had on his face told her all she needed to
know. He loved Akane more than he loved her. *I hope you're happy with
Akane, Ryoga.*
* * * * *
Ryoga grunted as the bar of soap hit him in the face. He tried hard
not to dodge as a bucket hit him on the chest. It hurt like hell.
Running out of ammunition, Akane ran at the pervert with her fists. It
was over in another five minutes. She stood there staring at the bloody
mess that was Ryoga, trying to make some sense of what she had seen when
she entered the furo only to see her pet jumping into the hot water and
a boy emerging. *Ranma... you knew about this,* Akane thought angrily
for a moment before realizing what was feeling. Anger at _him_. *No,
this isn't your fault, Ranma. You must have had some reason to do it.
I didn't mean it! I wasn't angry, really!*
Ryoga groaned as he got up from the beating he had just received, and
stared after the fleeing girl with tears streaming down her face.
Despite the injuries he knew his body had newly acquired, the only thing
he could think of was to get dressed and make sure Akane was all right.
His feeling of protectiveness overrode any thought of personal
survival. It wasn't until he had seen the full fury of her face that he
understood what he must do. His guilt of being 'P-Chan' was pushed
aside for the moment as Akane's well being was the most important thing
right now.
Akane's wet footprints on the ground were fortunately visable enough
for him to find his way to her room. He stood outside, putting his ear
to the door. He could hear Kasumi's voice consoling her. "I'm sorry,"
Ryoga whispered, knowing that she could not hear him. It looked like it
would have to be the roof for him tonight. *I'm sorry, Ranma, for what
I'm about to do, but Akane comes first. I know you wouldn't want to see
her like this either.*
* * * * *
"What's with Ryoga?" Nabiki asked upon entering the living room. Ryoga
was black and blue all over and seemed to be in a very deep sleep. She
carefully placed the six shopping bags she had with her on the table,
hoping Kasumi would help her put them away. *I should have pretended to
be Kuno's girlfriend earlier.*
"Uh, he slept... I mean, he is... oh my! How should I put this? Ryoga
has been sleeping with Akane for the past year."
"What!? But, but, what about Ranma?" Nabiki asked, her jaw dropping to
the ground at Kasumi's statement.
"Ah, I meant to say that Ryoga is P-Chan. It seems he's been to
Jusenkyo too."
"P-Chan?" *Of course! It all makes sense now. Man, now that I think
of it, Ranma wasn't being very subtle with those hints. I always
thought they were insults like Akane said.* "So, how's Akane taking
it?"
"We only found out yesterday while you were out on one of your dates
with Kuno. So, she's still a little sore and not talking to anyone
right now. She's becoming a vegetable, I'm afraid. I'll go up in a few
minutes to check on her again. In the meantime, could you do something
about Ryoga. Oh I didn't mean it like that, Nabiki," Kasumi said as her
sister developed a wild gleam in her eye and started to actually crack
her knuckles. Nabiki wasn't a violent sort, but Kasumi knew that her
sister had other ways of dealing with 'problems'. Ways that would make
a beating more preferable.
"He's really not a bad sort. I found him on the roof last night. He
really does care about Akane and I don't think he wants to leave her
side even now," Kasumi said, shaking her head at Ryoga's problem. She
left Nabiki to deal with Ryoga as she went back up the stairs to Akane's
room.
* * * * *
"What? That's your brilliant plan?" Nabiki asked incredulously as she
listened to what Pig Boy had to say for himself. When she had asked him
what he planned to do now that Akane knew, this was the last thing she
expected. "She'll kill you. Do you remember what she almost did to
Kuno when he badmouthed Ranma in front of her? It's suicide."
"I don't care," Ryoga said steadfastly. "It's the only way to get her
moving. She's spent the last few weeks like Mr. Tendo. The only time
they move is when they remember to eat or go the bathroom. That's not
living! I can't stand to see Akane like this. Besides, I'm sure this
is what Ranma would have done."
"That's because you're both stupid," Nabiki said, shaking her head.
But Ryoga did have a point. This was exactly what Ranma would have
tried to do.
"Um... can you make sure she doesn't kill me? I mean it won't work if
I'm not there to keep doing this," Ryoga said, scratching the back of
his head and grinned sheepishly at Nabiki.
Nabiki didn't know if she should have clapped her hands or banged her
head on the floor at this.
* * * * *
Akane stood staring up at the ceiling. Teardrops welled up in her eyes
making it hard for her to see too clearly. *I didn't mean it, Ranma. I
wasn't angry at you. You must have had some reason to keep it a secret
from me. I know that you would never hurt me if you could help it.*
"Bwahahaha! I tell you, Nabiki. You think that joke was bad? You
should listen to the time we snuck Happosai into the room as P-Chan.
Man, me and Ranma had fun with that one."
Akane blinked back her tears at sudden loud laughter emanating from the
floor of her room. It was Ryoga downstairs, apparently talking to
Nabiki. *What did he say!? He's lying!*
With unnatural speed, Akane sprung from her bed and raced out the door,
down the hallway and stairs to the living room. In ten seconds flat,
she was down upon the laughing boy with her hands around his neck,
stopping the awful lies from coming out of his mouth. "Why are you
doing this? Ranma would never have done that! He lov... he cared about
me! I was wrong. It wasn't Ranma that was picking on you, it was the
other way around."
"Akane, you're killing him. Get off of him," Nabiki said, grabbing
hold of one of her sister's taunt arms.
Akane shuddered as her senses came back to her and she stared down at
the unconscious body of Ryoga. She looked at her trembling hands.
"H-He deserved it," Akane stuttered. "Lying about Ranma that way. He
would never hurt me. Ranma would never hurt me."
Nabiki watched sadly as Akane slowly trudged back the way she came
from, her voice still repeating how Ranma would never hurt her over and
over. *It took you too late to realize that, Akane. Too late.*
"Ryoga, you alive?" she asked, turning to the matter at hand.
"Yeah," Ryoga groaned weakly as he shook himself awake at Nabiki's
prodding.
"So, how long you're going to keep doing this?"
"How ever long it takes."
"When our mother died, it took Akane six months to talk again."
"..."
* * * * *
"Our orders ready, Mousse?" Nabiki asked as she sat down at one of the
tables.
"Yep, I just have to pack them up in a box for you to carry. Sorry,
about making you come all this way. The delivery boy just quit this
morning. He didn't realize how far Shampoo used to deliver to on her
bicycle."
"Oh?" Nabiki asked. "Shampoo still not up to moving around yet?"
"Ranma," Mousse said darkly as if that one word explained everything.
"Still? I guess she really did care about the big jerk. I hear Ukyo
is the same."
"Along with your sister."
Nabiki flinched. "Yeah. But I think she's getting better."
"I know, Ryoga told me when I found him in one of our storage rooms
lost as usual, trying to find the dojo," Mousse said. He paused for a
moment before daring to ask the question he had to when he first called
Nabiki over to the restaurant. "Is it _really_ working? Ryoga's plan?
He didn't look to well."
Nabiki winced. That was an understatement. Ryoga looked like he had
been wrung and hung out to dry. The boy hardly slept, keeping a
constant vigil over Akane on top of their roof, be it rain or shine.
When Akane was awake, he would hover over her, taunting her about how
bad Ranma was. It had the usual effect of her flailing at Ryoga. In
fact, Akane seemed to be in a perpetual state of anger these days, due
in no small part to the boy. When she was angry, she had no time to be
sad. "Yeah, it's working. Why?"
Mousse raised up the sleeve of his robe, revealing his left arm. It
was black and blue all over.
Nabiki understood. He was trying the same thing with Shampoo. "I hate
to say this Mousse, but you might be the wrong person to do this. While
Akane hates Ryoga at the moment, she doesn't hate him enough to..."
"...deal any permanent damage. However, Shampoo is a different story,"
Mousse finished for Nabiki. "I agree with Ryoga in that respect. It is
a chance I must take."
"Mousse, stop slacking. I've boxed the food. You can give it to her
now." Cologne ordered from inside the kitchen. The boy jumped at her
command. She ignored him when he called her by his customary nickname
for her, 'old ghoul'. For once, Mousse's constant hounding of her great
granddaughter through the years was useful. *Just this once, Mousse,
because I need you. You're probably the only one that could irritate
Shampoo enough to get a response from her.*
* * * * *
Nabiki stopped at Ucchan's next before heading home. With Ukyo's
presence gone, it had fallen into a sad state of affairs and needed all
the business it could get. Konatsu had compensated by making the food
cheaper. It had worked moderately well, keeping the restaurant from
going into the red too deep.
"Hi, Konatsu. Two beef specials to go."
Konatsu nodded relieved at seeing a customer enter. "I'll have it
ready in a few moments. Would you like to sit down, first?"
"Sure, my legs are killing me. The place seems to be doing better,"
Nabiki noted as she looked around. There was a smattering of people
around her.
"Not as much as before, I'm afraid," Konatsu replied. "But since I've
started opening during school hours, I've almost managed to make up for
it. Still Ukyo managed to make more and she only opened after school
hours."
"Any idea when she'll get better?" Nabiki asked, however, Konatsu's
dejected expression answered that.
"Not for some time. Her body is still very weak, but I think she'll
come through. Just a matter of time."
"Oh?" Nabiki asked. She would have figured Ukyo would have had the
toughest time getting over Ranma given her history of being stuck up on
the boy.
Konatsu nodded and related to Nabiki, Ukyo's condition.
* * * * *
"Ranchan! Are you there?"
"I'm here, Ucchan," Konatsu said in a soothing voice as he held his
Ukyo-sama in his arms. He could only stay another few minutes before he
went would have to go down and open the restaurant. Fortunately, Ukyo's
breathing regained its previous even pace.
The okonomiyaki chef had become bedridden after a week of not eating.
She had finally gotten sick from lack of nourishment. Fortunately, she
took on a delirious state in the mean time. It had allowed Konatsu, in
the guise of Saotome, to take care of her without much trouble.
Konatsu gently moved Ukyo's head off of his lap and back onto her
pillow as he got up to let in the first customers of the day. They
needed all the business they could these days, since most of the
regulars had left when they realized it was not Ukyo cooking. He had
gotten much better since his first attempt at it, but it was not even
close to the level the people that care here before were used to.
"Konatsu?"
Konatsu paused as he heard his name being faintly whispered. "Yes?"
Silence greeted him. He turned and looked back at his mistress. She
was fast asleep. His hopes of her coming out of her delirium were
dashed. "I'm here. I'll always be here, Ukyo-sama," he whispered.
Ukyo smiled in her sleep at a wonderful dream blossoming.
* * * * *
Nabiki shook her head. What had not worked for her sister was working
admirably for Ukyo. She supposed the latter never had the same kind of
care her sister had had from Kasumi in the past ten years and was more
susceptible to it than Akane was. She could not see for a moment, the
ninja copying what Ryoga and Mousse were attempting. "Good for you,
Konatsu."
Konatsu blushed at Nabiki's praise. Not knowing what to say to that,
he just quickly finished off the order and handed it back to Nabiki in
silence. "Oh, I think Kuno-san was here looking for you earlier."
"Okay, thanks for telling me," Nabiki said, before mentally smacking
herself. They were supposed to have a date today. She quickly left the
restaurant and ran home as fast as she could without making a mess of
the food she carried. *If Kuno gets there first in the mood Akane's
in...* Her thoughts were interrupted as something suddenly dropped down
from the sky in front of her. It was Kuno of course.
"Ohh, your sister seems to be feeling much better," Kuno groaned out
before passing out.
Nabiki sighed. Fortunately, Dr. Tofu was close by. "Hey, you," she
said to a passing boy, she recognized from Furinkan. "I'll give
you..." Nabiki went to Kuno's prone body and searched for his wallet.
*Hmm, he carries quite a bit on him.* "...one thousand yen if you help
me carry him to the clinic over there."
Nabiki grinned in satisfaction as the boy eagerly took up the job at
hand. She took two thousand yen from the wallet before putting the
wallet back on his body. *That should cover my fees,* she thought to
herself and followed after the two boys to Dr. Tofu's.
* * * * *
Kuno sat up and turned to the side. It was a familiar looking scene.
His head ached, Nabiki sat watching, and he knew his wallet had just
gotten lighter. "Where is Akane?" he asked, before realizing what he
was saying. He was asking a woman that had fallen in love with him. It
would be demoralizing for her to hear this. Not to mention the fact
that said woman had the habit of squealing to anyone that would listen
and Akane would be sure to know about him playing with her sister's
heart.
Nabiki considered her answer as she looked at the vapid expression on
Kuno's face. *One more sacrificial lamb might help ease Ryoga's task of
reviving Akane to her former self. The problem is if Kuno could handle
the beatings. Weeks of punching out Ryoga has toughened her somewhat,
and that is a guy that laughs at anything less than a boulder.* "Oh, my
heart. I can feel it breaking. The first person you ask for when you
wake up is my sister? I can see that you don't care for me."
Kuno thought quickly as he saw Nabiki about to get up from her chair by
his side. *I have but another week to pretend to be her boyfriend. I
can't let all this work go for naught.* Closing his eyes, he sank back
to the bed. He then quickly sat up again just before, Nabiki reached
the door. "Nabiki," he said before collapsing, pretending that he had
only been talking in his sleep the whole time.
Nabiki smirked. *He's smarter than I give him credit for. Oh, well,
might as well play this to the hilt. You better get well soon, Akane.*
Nabiki went back to the bed where Kuno did an adequate job of appearing
to be asleep. "Oh, Kuno-chan!"
Kuno felt his cheeks flush as he felt something soft and warm drape
over him. Before he could open his eyes to check exactly what was
happening, the feeling was gone.
"Oh, sorry, was I intruding?" Tofu said as he entered the room.
"No, not really. I was just leaving," Nabiki said, smoothing out her
dress as she stood up. *Heh, that should give the guy something to
think about and buy me some time.*
Tofu watched as Nabiki left the room before turning to look at Kuno.
"Kids these days are so forward."
*Forward? What does he mean?* Kuno thought frantically, trying to
think what it could have been that was pressed against him.
"I don't know what I'd do if K-K-Kasumi was like that."
*Uh oh,* Kuno thought, before he could expand on what had happened with
Nabiki just now. He felt the bones of his arm start to break. It was
fortunate that fool doctor would be able to fix what he broke in the
mean time though. Kuno passed out a minute later and would later wake
up to find himself in perfect working order.
* * * * *
"What's going on?" Nabiki asked as she looked over at the feverish
Ryoga. That wasn't new, since the lost boy had been sick for quite some
time now with the lack of sleep, staying outside during the nights, and
his body beaten upon. It still didn't stop the guy from trying to raise
the ire of her sister though. What was surprising was that Akane was
there tending to him.
"Ah, Akane went a little overboard this morning after Kuno showed up.
I wasn't there to watch and things got out of hand," Kasumi said
worriedly. "I've just called Dr. Tofu over. Hopefully, he could help."
"Stupid. Why didn't you dodge? Why don't you ever dodge? I know
you're faster than me," Akane murmured, her voice wavering, as she
placed another wet cloth over Ryoga's forehead.
*I think it's time I ended this little charade,* Nabiki thought sickly
as she looked at the two people who where shattered and broken for
different reason.
* * * * *
"What!? Why did you let him do this? The stupid idiot," Akane
shrieked as she looked over the restless boy that hovered between sleep
and consciousness.
"Don't you understand? Let me spell it out for you. They guy's head
over heels for you," Nabiki said into Akane's uncomprehending face.
"L-O-V-E."
"Ryoga? But he has Akari..."
"Where has he been since we came back from China? He's been here, you
dolt. He broke it off with Akari, so he could look after you. Does a
normal boy break off a perfectly good relationship with another girl to
so he could look after another?"
"No, he isn't... he can't be in love with me. I would have known,"
Akane asserted, but could not muster up the force to back it up. *Yeah,
just like you _knew_ exactly how Ranma about you,* she berated herself
silently. "P-Chan. He was pretending to be P-Chan to get close to me.
Ranma tried to warn me. But why didn't he tell me? Ranma would never
hurt me on purpose." *I know he wouldn't.*
"Bastard, this is all your fault Ranma. You knocked me into that
spring. You have made my life a living hell!" Ryoga called out in his
semi-conscious state, seeming to respond to the conversation between the
two sisters.
Nabiki snorted. "Of course, I should have known. If it's Ranma's
fault that Ryoga got this curse, the jerk probably felt obligated to
keep it from you. And we all know how jealous he gets, so he tried to
hint the truth to you at the same time. I can't believe I was so
dense."
"Don't call him a jerk... don't look at me like that. I know I've made
my mistakes, but that doesn't mean, I'm going to keep making them,"
Akane said firmly. This new tidbit of information reinforced her belief
in her former fianc�e. It also, strangely, made her at peace with
Ryoga's curse. *I know Ranma would have killed Ryoga if he ever
suspected that I was being abused.*
"So, what do we do about Lost Boy?" Nabiki asked, surprised at the
steely resolve in Akane. Her sister was back among the living.
"First we keep him until he's better. After that, we'll see. I still
haven't forgiven him and desecrating Ranma's memory to help me is not
something I'm happy with."
*Ulp,* Nabiki gulped as Akane's gaze fell upon her. *Does she know I
helped Ryoga do this?*
* * * * *
"You've got to be kidding me," Nabiki said, still shocked at what Kuno
was saying.
"I must have you both!" Kuno yelled leaping at Nabiki.
Fortunately for Nabiki, Akane's fist intercepted him. "Looks like you
did too good a job of pretending to be his girlfriend, Sis."
"You owe me big," Nabiki said through her clenched teeth as she
purposely walked onto of Kuno's spread-eagled body.
Akane only smiled.
* * * * *
Shampoo sighed, not knowing what to do as she donned her usual waitress
outfit, prepared to go downstairs for the first time in over a month.
She had been surprised that it had been Akane of all people that had
come to the restaurant to tell her it was not her fault. In fact, the
girl even went so far as to tell Shampoo that Ranma had been almost
grateful enough to give her a date when he had learned of the wishing
brooch. This she didn't believe, but the fact that Akane would make
something up like this did make her feel better.
It took his death before Shampoo could acknowledge that her rival held
Ranma's heart in a stronger hold than she had. *I could have eventually
stolen it for myself, just that there wasn't enough time,* Shampoo told
herself confidently. Still knowing the fianc�e closest to Ranma didn't
blame her, had made her want to kick herself less and less these days
over telling him of the brooch.
She opened her door only to see Mousse standing there, ready to give
his daily opinion of her former husband. She sucker punched him in the
stomach before he could talk. "<Akane told me about you and Ryoga's
'idea' for making us better. Now, that I know... say another bad word
about Ranma and I'll make sure your life is not worth living."
"<Yes,>" Mousse managed to squeak out.
*Stupid, Mousse,* Shampoo thought shaking her head. Even now she could
see the love in his eyes. *Was I that bad with Ranma?* "<Get, up, we
have work to do.>"
Mousse obediently followed. And almost slammed into the wall, had not
his glasses suddenly fall into place over the bridge of his nose. He
looked at Shampoo in front of him. He had thought for sure that someone
had placed his glasses from atop his head onto his face. *Was it her?*
* * * * *
Ukyo smiled as she closed the door to the ninja's room. She remembered
the first time she had tried to do that. Konatsu's training would
always cause him to bolt awake thinking someone was in the room. Now,
however the ninja just slept blissfully. He was obviously tired.
"Thank you for taking care of me, Konatsu."
She then closed the door and headed downstairs to get ready for
school. It would be strange to know Ranma wasn't in this world
anymore. She rarely had him out of her thoughts since she met him all
those years ago and now it was forcibly taken out of her hands. She
could think of him, but it would not mean a thing.
Opening the door, she let herself out of Ucchan's and almost collided
with a bicycle rider riding at her full speed. "Hey, watch it jackass!"
"Oh, it Okonomiyaki Girl," Shampoo said stopping. She was about to
reply in kind, but then realized that they had nothing to argue about
anymore.
"Hey, Shampoo," Ukyo said lamely, not knowing what else there was to
say to a person she had only known as a rival which they no longer
were. She had heard about the Chinese Amazon's self-imposed exile in
her room at the Nekohanten over Ranma and Akane's subsequent visit just
a day ago. "So, you talked with Akane?"
Shampoo nodded. "Violent Girl make things clearer."
"Good to hear that Shampoo," Akane said, running up to the pair when
she saw them on the streets. "Going to school, Ukyo?"
"Yeah," Ukyo confirmed. It was getting awkward at how little she found
she had to say to the others.
Shampoo decided to take the initiative when it looked like the three of
them might be standing there forever. "Shampoo deliver food now. Life
busy, must go on."
Akane and Ukyo were surprised as they heard how solemn Shampoo's voice
was. Akane decided to follow Shampoo's example. It needed to be said
out loud. "Yeah, I've got a ton of stuff to catch up on with school.
After this year, it'll be just one more year before graduation. My life
is quite full at the moment, but I think I'll manage."
Ukyo looked at the two expectant faces and slowly found herself
smiling. "Yeah, I've got a lot going on with my life too."
Three heads nodded at one another, before Shampoo left Akane and Ukyo
to go to school as the new day began.
* * * * *
Ryoga lifted his backpack onto his shoulders. *I'm going, but I'm
coming back, Akane. I understand that you need a little time and some
space.* He walked a few feet before the ground suddenly gave way and he
fell face first into a deep puddle.
*Argh! This is all yo... my fault,* Ryoga thought and suddenly found
himself laughing uncontrollably. "Yeah, my fault. See you in the next
life, Ranma."
* * * * *
The End. (maybe)