Ranma walked down the beaten track towards Jusenkyo. He was going to do it! He could finally be rid of his curse! Since he received it, there had been constant interruptions. How could anyone have so many interruptions to their life?
Ranma crested a hill, and saw the springs. A smile cracked open on his face, as he made the final push to the cursed land. All his hard work and suffering all these years were finally going to pay off!
Reaching the bottom of the valley, Ranma headed towards the Guides hut. Knocking on the door, Ranma stepped back, and waited for the door to open. When it did, he saw the Guides daughter, Plum.
"Hello, Plum. I arrived, at last." Ranma announced. "Is your father around?"
Plum shook her head and smiled. "I'm afraid not, honoured visitor. My father passed away three years ago. I look after the land now." She sighed. "Is there anything I can do to help anyway?"
Ranma remained silent for a while. The guide, who had been so helpful, had provided countless chances to cure him had passed on? Ah, well. It was to be expected, Ranma supposed. He did seem to be getting on in his years the last few times they spoke on the phone.
"Sir?" Plum asked. Most visitors didn't take this long to respond. They normally said their business straight away.
"Ah, yes. You can help me, Plum." Ranma replied, shaking himself out of the nostalgic mood he was in. "Could you take me to the Nannichuan? I wish to cure myself."
"Of course. Follow me."
Ranma followed, walking calmly. When they arrived at the pool, Ranma sighed. It was the end of an era, he supposed. He was finally going to be rid of the cursed body.
As if on cue, it started raining, and Ranma was now female. She stood there, calmly looking at the water. Was this a good idea? To get rid of this form would mean losing the ability to be a master of disguise. (At least, that's what Ranma thought she was when she dressed up as the most feminine girl you could imagine) But if she did this, it'd mean no more awkward looks in the street as he changed, no more being a water magnet, and no more Happousai.
Ranma looked deeper into the water. Noting her reflection, he saw herself as a man. Suddenly, she realised you could tell what each pool was by looking at your reflection. Ah, if only she and her father had done that when they first came here on that fateful day many years ago.
It was a shame about Akane.
She had gone off with Ryouga after she found out about his curse. The fact that Ryouga had seen her countless times in her room had not phased her one bit. She liked Ryouga, and knowing that she'd told him her deepest secrets and he had listened struck her deep. Ranma had tried arguing that he'd 'peeped' on her so many times, but Akane argued by saying that P-Chan had always looked away when she was changing, making him a more decent person than Ranma. Ranma gave up after that.
The fathers weren't very happy with that, but neither wanted to confront Akane about it, otherwise they knew they'd find a table on their heads. In the end, Mr. Tendo had given his consent, while Genma decided that Ranma ought to honour the arrangement with Ukyou.
Ukyou, of course, agreed on the spot. Ranma had never realised how much she cared for her at that point. To hell with Akane! She had chosen Ryouga, and would no doubt get lost with him. Ryouga had told him that it was a Hibiki family curse to have no sense of direction, as anyone who had married in to the clan lost theirs as well. Akane didn't care, though. She went with Ryouga, and they never found their honeymoon destination.
Ranma sighed again. She looked into the pool, and made up her mind. And jumped.
Away from the water.
Ranma had made up her mind. She didn't know whether it was the body trying to save itself or her own opinion, but she didn't care. Too many happy times had been in this body. To lose the body would mean forsaking the memories. And some of those memories Ranma would not lose.
Ranma and Ukyou's first date, after it rained heavily.
The cinema, where they watched a Jet Li film.
The walk home in the drizzle.
The kiss on Ukyou's doorstep.
The kiss.
Ranma had of course been shocked. She was a girl at the time! What made Ukyou kiss her then!? Ah, to hell with it, Ranma thought. They had kissed! That's all that mattered.
And then they had gotten married the next year.
Ukyou Kuonji was no more. She was Ukyou Saotome. And she would honour that name till the day that she died.
Now, five years on into the marriage, they had two children. Ataru and Shinobu. Twins, and they weren't fazed in the slightest that they had two mothers whenever it rained. In fact, they relished it. Especially Ataru. The scamp.
Ranma smiled. How could she not lose the curse now? She'd had it 10 years. But she decided to repay a debt instead.
Pulling out a gourd, Ranma carefully dipped her hand in the water. Filling the gourd to the top, she then bottled it securely and strapped it to her backpack. Mousse was only a short distance away. And he was still cursed to be a duck, which he hated. Suddenly, Ranma had an idea. Pulling out an identical gourd she went over to the Nyannichuan. Not bothering with carefulness (like she needed to, anyway) she plunged her arm in and filled the gourd to the top. Stoppering it, she pulled out a sticky-label and marker pen. Quickly, she scribbled something on and slapped it onto the gourd. She then strapped it to her rucksack, next to the other gourd. Ranma then labelled the first gourd "Mu Tze" and stood up.
"Thank you for your help, Plum!" Ranma called out to the teenage girl that walked back to her hut. "My condolences about your father." She added. Plum nodded and noted the labels on the gourds. Mu Tze and Xian Pu.
Quickly, she headed off in the direction of the Joketsuzoku. This would be a fantastic wedding present for Mousse and Shampoo. At least they'd be able to have children this way - Shampoo's changes made it impossible to uphold a pregnancy.
A short while later, a now male Ranma arrived at the gates of the Amazon village. Nodding to the guards, and stating he was there to visit some friends, he headed for the house he knew they shared.
Ranma knocked on the door. Waiting, he observed the village residents going around their business. The women walked around whilst their husbands and boyfriends followed. Ranma shuddered - it was the exact opposite of home, just more pronounced. Ah, well.
The door opened, and Ranma found himself under the onslaught of one of Shampoo's hugs. "Aiya!" Shampoo screamed. "Ranma, what you doing here?"
"I come bearing gifts!" Ranma replied, returning the hug. "May I come in?"
"Yes, yes, come in!" Shampoo replied.
Ranma walked through the door, and got straight to business. "Where's Mousse?"
"Mousse in other room." Shampoo answered.
"Shall we go join him? The reason I'm here concerns both of you."
Ranma and Shampoo walked into the main room of the house. Mousse stood up, and shouted in joy. "Ranma! What on earth brings you here?"
"No point beating around the bush, is there?" Ranma replied. "Are both of you still cursed?"
The Chinese couple nodded.
"Would you like to get rid of your curses?"
They nodded again, this time more vigorously.
"Then you're both going to love me." Ranma laughed.
He placed his pack on the ground and untied the two gourds strapped to the back. He held them up, labels front so they could see what they were.
"Ranma, is that...." mousse asked, cautious.
"Jusenkyo water, yep." Ranma replied. "Congratulations on your marriage."
Shampoo screamed in delight. It was forbidden for any Amazon to go to Jusenkyo now, ever since an elder went and got a splash of Nannichuan, severely affecting the village hierarchy, and Ranma had just bought the water to them.
Carefully, he gave the gourds to their new owners, making sure they had the one labelled with their names. Standing back, he watched as the Chinese couple poured the water over themselves and stayed in their natural forms. A smile broke across his face. "And may you both have a long and prosperous marriage." he said.
Ranma suddenly found himself on the receiving end of two of the fiercest hugs he had ever received. Shampoo and Mousse were crying hard. "Thank you, so much, Saotome." Mousse said.
"Ah, 'twas nothin'!"
"But... if you go Jusenkyo," Shampoo said, "That mean Ranma no cursed too!"
Ranma shook his head. Mousse and Shampoo facefaulted.
"Ranma... You didn't cure yourself?" Mousse whispered. "I thought you always wanted a cure..."
"I've had too many happy memories in my girl body. I can't just throw them away. It's because of that form that I have Ucchan. I can't lose it now!"
The Chinese couple smiled and nodded. They understood. And they were thankful that Ranma had given them their cures. They'd always be in his debt after that day.
Ranma made his excuses and left, heading out of the village of Joketsuzoku and towards the nearest city with an airport. He was heading back to Nerima, and back to his family.
Not cured, but with a burden off his chest.
Notes: My first published fic! I've got a couple of other longer ones in the works, but they'll take ages yet. ^_^
I was influenced slightly by other fics. Shampoo ½ (Elder in Nannichuan) and another who's name eludes me. (Hibiki curse)
Thanks for reading. Please C&C.