Difference between love and obsession
Surprisingly, all was quiet at the Tendo Dojo. Ranma had called together all of the rivals and fiancées for a meeting to fix the current situation. They were waiting, with growing impatience, for him to show up and explain himself.
Finally, he entered, closely followed by his mother with her ever present katana. "Thank you all for coming." he said "It is long past time to fix this current mess. Before we begin, I have chosen one that I love and would like to be my wife. I want a solemn vow, from each and every one of you, that we will be left in peace. Agreed?"
Clearly not liking it, but seeing no other option, they all spoke as one "Agreed."
Ranma nodded, and said with a bit of a threat in his voice "Break this vow, and you will wish I treated you as lightly as Saffron."
Those that had witnessed that fight gulped and turned a bit pale, not wanting to test Ranma's willingness to carry out his threat.
Satisfied that they had gotten the point, Ranma began speaking "Two weeks ago, I was thinking about the mess that my father had stuck me with, and was trying to figure out who, out of the fiancées, did I actually love. Then I realised that I didn't know what love is, having never had love explained to me. I asked Kasumi what she thought, and she told me something that made everything clear. She said the difference between love, and obsession is that someone in love will do everything they can to make the one they love happy, even never seeing them again. Someone obsessed will try to control them, to make their target theirs, and theirs alone."
He took a moment to let this sink in before he continued "For the two weeks past, I have watched, and listened, and observed, trying to see who truly loves someone else. In this room now, I can see only two other people who truly love another. I would like to test the rivals, to see if my observations are wrong. I already know how the fiancées really feel about me, so I don't need to ask them anything."
He looked around the room to see what the reactions were. The fiancées, Kodachi in particular, were looking a little upset with him. The rivals were all trying to understand what he was trying to pull, while the adults were all wanting him to get to the point and announce who he'd chosen.
"Mousse. Imagine that Shampoo has her eye on another male. She confesses to you that she is even considering enticing him to challenge her for marriage then throwing the fight. What would you do?"
"Challenge and defeat the weakling, and prove to Shampoo that I am strong enough for her."
"As I thought Mousse. You do not love Shampoo. You're obsessed. If you loved her, you would help to train the one she wanted so that he would not be weak, so that she would not be dishonoured by throwing the fight. If you loved her, you would listen to her. Kuno, Akane and the Pig-tailed Goddess have come to you, completely free of any spell, and have confessed that your aggressive pursuit of them has put them off men forever. What would you do?"
"I would date with them both, and my manly ways will surely convince them to turn from such unnatural behaviours."
"No surprise there Kuno. You're obsessed alright. Right, time to try one last time to open your eyes to one truth. Kasumi, would you get a large amount of hot and cold water?"
"I thought you might need it, so I got it already Ranma."
"Thanks Kasumi. Now Kuno, and you too Kodachi, listen very carefully. I have a curse. When I am hit with cold water -" *Splash* "I change into this. When I am hit with hot water -" *Splash* "I change back. Before you ask, I am still the same person, with the same feelings, I just have two forms. Any questions?"
"The foul sorcerer Saotome…" "My Ranma-darling…"
"Changed into…" "Changed into…"
"My Pig-tailed Goddess?" "The pig-tailed harridan?"
"Hey, I've tried to tell you everytime I saw you since we met. You just refused to listen."
"Saotome, I take my leave of you. I must contemplate this revelation."
"I'm going too. You are not the person I thought you were Ranma darling."
"Very well. Just remember the vow you swore tonight, to leave me and the one I love in peace."
Mousse stood up and turned to leave. "Saotome, you've given me something to think about. Maybe I am obsessed. Well, as long as it's not Shampoo, I will leave you and your love alone. I expect the mummy will let me know who you choose."
Ranma nodded, then turned back to the others. "Konatsu, I hope that she'll recognise your devotion and come to care for you as you care for her. Ryoga, imagine that Akari has just told you that she is in love with another, and was just stringing you along. What would you do?"
"Ask her if he really made her happy. Then get lost somewhere and let off several Shishi Hokodans."
"Ryoga, does the thought of causing Akari pain hurt you?"
"Yes. I never want to hurt her."
"Congratulations Ryoga. Sounds like you love her. And she loves you too. Remember she was willing to hate pigs if it made you happier."
Ryoga's face brightened as he thought about this, then he asked to use the phone to call Akari, and ask her to send Katshunishki to lead him home.
Ranma finally turned to the three girls and said "Akane, Shampoo, Ukyo, I don't love any of you, and I know that you don't love me either. You're obsessed with me."
"WHAT?!" they shouted at him. "How could you say that?"
"The three of you are all trying to fit me into your dreams, and take absolutely no notice of mine. Akane, whatever you might feel deep down, you don't trust me and we're constantly fighting. Really, we're more like brother and sister then anything else. Shampoo, you see me as a trophy to show off to the people back home, and completely forget that I would be miserable anywhere I can't freely learn the Art. Not to mention I'd hate the laws your tribe operates by. Ukyo, okonomiyaki is your life. Everything else would come second to your business, me, the Art, any children we'd have. No, my choice is none of you."
The girls were all shocked that Ranma would reject them. Shampoo was the first to recover, and she asked "But Airen, if you no love us, who you love?"
"Since I discovered what love was, and decided to try and see who loved me, there is one who has always been there for me. She has listened patiently to my problems, gently encouraged me to reach higher, to try harder, to never give up. She has supported my need to continue learning the Art, and has tried to open my eyes to other interests to make me a better person. She anticipates what I need, often before I know I need it. And I want to spend the rest of my life making her as happy as she can be."
Ranma pulled a small box out of his pocket, walked over to Kasumi, and dropped to one knee. "Kasumi Tendo, called by many the Angel of Nerima. Would you do me the honour of becoming my wife? I promise to cherish and protect you, and to make you as happy as I can, whatever may come."
Kasumi looked down at him momentarily, before she reached down, picked him up and kissed him passionately. As she pulled away a little, she reached for the small box forgotten in Ranma's hand, put the ring on her finger and said "Yes."