The Leper: Diagnosis
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.
By the way, this is a self-insertion. My character had a past with
Ukyou, but not the kind you're thinking of. And, because this is my
first Ranma fic, I'm gonna do some weird stuff like use Ryouga and Ukyou
but still keep Kuno, Tendo and Tofu. But I'm not really sure.
This complete version was done with the technical assistance of
Freemage, and the support of the above with DB Sommer, Octavian and the
occasionals, all of whom have contributed to the formation of this fic.
Part 11
"Runaway Horse"
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, while
in the kitchen, feminine compassion surrounded and 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 will 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 drove 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 concerning what had 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 ceased 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 to get 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's 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. Hot on his heels,
Ryouga tried to close the last few inches, refusing to give up the chase.
"I SAID, 'COME BACK'!!!"
Ranma skidded to a stop and faced Ryouga, all in a span of an
eyeblink.
Ryouga almost lost his footing at Ranma's change of momentum. He
managed to stop himself before losing 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 to remove 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. Slowly, her sobbing fit
slowed until she just drew the occasional deep gasp.
"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 his tears back in the last minute.
Shampoo stared into 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.
*noknok*
"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 teach 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 had 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, from somewhere beyond...
"... the pond...." 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 of the house
across the road.
"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 willpower not to jump out of her
window and into his arms. "Ranma, I know!"
"Y-YOU DO? KNOW WHAT?"
"Ranma, you were hyp-!"
*CREEEEAAAAAK!!!* Akane was rudely interrupted by an opening gate
- from around the corner emerged 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 his words fell on deaf ears as the two men
headed back to the house.
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 through 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 started pacing towards the entrance,
giving himself time to think but the gears and pinions 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 past 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
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