Sorry for the mistake, part nine isn't quite ready for posting yet.
Gomen. Here is part nine.
Ruroni Ranma
Part 9
Love lost and found yet again...
Ranma stood out in the yard moving through another slow kata. He paused
and glanced around to see someone staring at him through the bushes. "Can
I help you Nabiki?"
"You're going to tell me everything you know, sooner or later I'll catch
you off guard."
"Later then, after all you only have to put up with me for another week
right?" Ranma smiled at her and went back to his kata.
Nabiki scurried away and sulked. "Damn you! I'm going to find out!"
Akane watched the whole exchange from the table. "I'd forgotten you only
have to stay another week."
Yuriko smirked. "Only one more week and I can dump you! Woo hoo!" she
cried out with joy and jumped up and down.
"You aren't going anywhere," muttered Akane angrily as she smacked her
in the back of her head.
"Owie! I told you old woman, I'm going with Ranma!" snapped the girl.
"You'll stay here with Akane and continue your training for a few years
first," said Ranma as he sat down and sipped at the tea Kasumi had laid
out for them.
"Aw, do I have to?" grumbled the girl with a dejected look.
"You should be careful with Nabiki though Ranma. When she sets her sites
on something she doesn't let go," warned Akane.
"She's like a dog that way," noted Yuriko.
"My sister is not a dog!" screamed Akane angrily.
"Sure she is, her sister is a bitch too," muttered Yuriko. She found
herself sailing through the air and landed in the koi pond seconds later.
"I think it's time we started training again, you're getting too lax,"
snarled Akane as she brushed her hair back behind her shoulders again.
Ranma found himself smiling at this, it brought back memories.
"Ranma! It's time you learned to respect your father! We're going to
train again!" said Genma as he dusted off his hands.
"Why you! You stupid old man! I'll get you for that!" screamed Ranma in
reply. He charged forward and pulled the Bokuten from across his back as
he charged.
"Put that thing away boy! I'm not here to teach you how to sword fight!"
countered Genma as he kicked the young boy in his chest.
Ranma buckled under the strike but remained standing. "Fine, have it
your way old man, I'll beat you with my bare hands!" He replaced the
weapon and charged his father again.
A short time later Genma sat across from his son with a satisfied smirk
on his face. "Come on boy, we have to get moving. The battles are too
close to us right now. I want to make it to this training ground before
then."
"Why don't we just go straight ahead pop? Wouldn't that be faster?" said
the boy in confusion as he looked at the small guide map in his father's
hands.
"That's Musk territory son, we don't want to find ourselves in the
middle of a fight," replied the man sagely.
"Why not?" asked the boy obliviously. They were martial artist after
all.
"My son, you don't understand. This isn't a fight you can win with your
fists or a Bokuten. People are dying," said Genma with a small smile of
pride on his face. The boy was brave, and strong. His wife would be proud
when they returned to Japan.
"Dying? Aren't we supposed to help those in need pop?" asked the boy
obliviously.
"Indeed we are son, but this is much too large for us alone to stop.
It's best to allow the Chinese government to deal with it. This isn't
even our country after all." The elder Saotome pulled his traveling bag
onto his shoulders again. "Come on boy, we need to get moving again."
Ranma hung back as he followed his father. "Something we can't beat with
our hands or a bokuten? I need to find a real sword then."
"Hey Ranma, what's up? Are you there?" He woke up to find Nabiki waving
her hand in front of his face.
"Oro? Have you been there long Nabiki?" he said as he shook himself out
of the trance.
"You just spaced out there. I was gonna bug you some more, but you had a
strange look on your face," said the girl with a wary look in her eyes.
"Sorry, just old memories," replied the boy with a small smile.
Nabiki relaxed, Ranma had looked scary when he spaced out that way. His
features became hard and almost angry looking. "Thinking about the war?"
The boy blinked and looked at her. "No, pleasant memories. Akane and
Yuriko brought back better times during my own training." His smile
changed again, it was almost wistful.
"I see," Nabiki turned away, she was more than a little disturbed by the
look he had moments ago. Still, it drove her curiosity even more now.
Ryoga Hibiki sat in the small Okonomiyaki restaurant and ate slowly. His
face was serious and somehow devoid of anger. "So, he really was the one
called Battosai. I had my doubts before... I wonder why he turned into a
woman though." He had thought about the possibility that it was someone
else, but quickly discounted it. The way she fought was too close, and
she even held the sword in the same manner, there was no doubt in his
mind that it was Ranma behind that woman's eyes.
"Are you going to pay this time?" said the girl who walked up to him. He
knew her name was Ukyo from past times in the shop.
"Put it on my tab will ya?" he snorted.
"You don't have a tab here," replied the girl darkly.
"Get me one then, I'm going to be hanging around the area for a while,"
replied the boy simply.
Ukyo nodded and sighed. "I guess it can be arranged, just make sure you
pay it from time to time."
Ryoga nodded and froze as the door opened behind him. A familiar figure
walked over to his table and sat across from him.
Tatiwaki Kuno smiled at him and placed his bokuten across the table with
the blade facing away from Ryoga. "Battosai, I wish to speak with you."
"What do you want? I'm not Battosai," replied Ryoga gruffly.
"I see, you wish to keep your true name a secret," said the kendoist
calmly. "I shall honor your wish."
"No, I mean I'm not Battosai," replied the boy.
Kuno nodded and brushed the topic aside. "Tell me how you have tried to
win this woman and I will help you."
"I haven't tried to win anyone, leave me alone you idiot!" screamed the
boy as he glared at Kuno.
Ukyo walked up to the table and smiled. "Having woman troubles?"
Ryoga hit his head on the table and sobbed. "Why? Why me?"
"I understand, perhaps you should try to bring her flowers? Roses are
particular to a woman's heart," said Kuno.
"He's right you know, but nothing says 'I love you' like jewelry," added
Ukyo. "I wish someone would bring me flowers." She paused and looked away
wistfully. "Ranchan..."
Ryoga looked up at her and blinked. "Ranchan? You mean Saotome?"
"The cur! How dare he steal the heart of both Akane Tendo and the
Okonomiyaki girl!" screamed Kuno angrily.
"OKONOMIYAKI GIRL?" cried Ukyo as she slammed her fist into his head. He
fell face first into the table and rubbed the back of his head. "I'm not
talking about Saotome anyway."
Ryoga looked skeptical and shook his head.
Ukyo sighed and sat down across from him. "I had a fiancee once. Ranma
kind of reminds me of him a little. He died in the war in China a few
years ago."
Ryoga blushed and hung his head. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be, I know you didn't mean anything," said the girl wistfully.
"Ukyo! Stop babbling and clean up those tables!" cried a gruff voice
from the back of the room.
"Yes daddy!" said the girl as she pushed herself back onto her feet.
Kuno watched her leave and sighed. "A pity, she gave her heart away.
Only to have it crushed, now she'll die an old maid."
"She's can't be older than sixteen, she has time to find someone else,"
snorted Ryoga.
"You must understand, she is the woman of a samurai! She will wait for
all eternity for him to return to her!" cried the boy dramatically. A
pair of fans appeared in his hands as he did so.
"Whatever, I'm leaving," Ryoga stood up and walked out the door.
Kuno sighed and nodded his head. "He really is good, that was an
excellent exit." He stood up and started for the door. A large hairy hand
stopped his stride.
"You haven't paid your bill yet," said Ukyo's father as he shoved the
paper into his face.
"My bill?" Kuno blinked and looked at the man in confusion.
Ranma Saotome sat in the furo and relaxed in the water. "Ah this is
nice."
He paused and glanced at the mirror across from him. She seemed to be
staring back at him through his eyes, hidden deep inside. "I don't need
you anymore, the fighting is over." He spoke calmly to her and smiled.
"But you'll never really go away will you?" He fingered the crossed scar
on his cheek and smiled. "Not as long as she still holds us." He stared
at her for a long time before two hands started to rub on his back. "Ah,
that's nic... oro?"
Yuriko smiled as she rubbed Ranma's shoulders in the tub. "Do you want
me to wash your back?"
"Wh-what are you doing in here?" said Ranma. He had yet to move.
"Well, you didn't say anything when I came in so I didn't think you'd
mind," said the girl with a small shrug.
"Akane's going to kill me!" thought Ranma as he backed away from the
girl.
"Is something wrong?" said Yuriko in confusion. She wasn't being
perverted or anything, at least she didn't think so. She glanced down and
looked at herself, Ranma had seen better than she had before, in fact he
had better. What was he so worried about?
"I'm coming in Yuriko," called a feminine voice from outside. Akane
opened the door and saw the girl smile at her.
"Hiya, you old bag! Starting to sag already?"
Akane didn't hear her, she only saw the boy sitting in the corner of the
tub with a frightened expression on his face. "R-Ranma?"
"Uh, hi," said the boy. It was all he could think of.
Moments later Nabiki cocked her head as she heard her sister's battle
cry from the bathroom. "What the?" A split second after she finished
saying that a loud crash sounded inside the house.
Ranma walked into the home naked and wet, she had a strange look in her
eyes as she walked by Soun and went into her room. The man had somehow
managed to shove an entire pair of chopsticks into his mouth as she went
by.
"Oh my, Ranma! Are you alright?" said Kasumi in concern.
"I'm fine, just had an accident in the bathroom," replied the girl as
she closed the door behind her.
Moments later Akane emerged from the bathroom dragging Yuriko by her
ear. Both of them were dressed in bathrobes. "You little pervert! What
were you thinking?"
"Ranma is a girl too sometimes! It doesn't matter!" cried the little
girl defensively.
"Of course it matters!" screamed the elder girl.
Nabiki poked her head out of her room and snickered. She couldn't be
sure, but she had a pretty good idea about what just happened. "This is
interesting."
Ranma sat in his room a short time later frowning alone. "They should
never have been able to sneak up on me. I'm getting preoccupied, and
that's dangerous." Somehow he felt a little relieved that he was leaving
in a few days. He glanced in a small mirror and sighed. "Is it you? Did
you let that happen?" His reflection didn't say anything back. "Maybe
it's good that I'm relaxing."
A quiet knock came at his door and he smiled. "Come in Yuriko."
The girl sheepishly poked her head inside the door. "I'm sorry I got you
in trouble. I didn't mean anything by it."
He smiled at her and winked. "It's all right, just make sure no one else
is in there next time. Akane can hit pretty hard."
"Tell me about it," grumbled the girl as she sat on the floor in front
of him.
"You're coming along well in your studies, just don't forget to train.
In a few years I promise I'll come back and let you take a trip with me."
Ranma smiled at the expression on her face.
"Really? You promise?" she jumped up excitedly.
"Yes, but only if you work hard with Akane," replied the boy sternly.
Yuriko jumped up and grabbed him around the neck. "I promise I will!"
She released him and rushed out the door.
Akane smiled to herself as the girl rushed by her. She had only know her
a very short time, but had already forgotten what it would be like
without her. Ranma was a strange man indeed, but hardly someone she knew
she could spend the rest of her life with. It was a shame they didn't
have more time to get to know one another, in a few years she might have
considered it. She stepped away from her spot beside his door and went
into her own room.
Inside her own room, Nabiki Tendo smiled as she went over the things
Ranma had done over the past few days. There was nothing she could use to
force him to say what she wanted to know. A deep frown formed on her lips
as she thought. A moment later it changed into a sly smile. "Well
Saotome, I guess I'll just have to keep you around until I find out what
I want to know."
TBC...
Next time: Saionara Ranma!
The time is up, but Nabiki has something up her sleeve. Also, a new
opponent appears gunning for Ranma.
C&C to: Carrotglace@juno.com
URL: Http://www.geocities.com/misatira/