Akane Tendo awoke from a silent slumber by the sound of energetic birds chirping outside her bedroom window. She sat up in bed and rubbed her eyes as the sun beamed through the window curtains. She turned and looked at her sleepy companion who huddled blissfully on the corner of her pillow. It was P-Chan.
Akane smiled finding her pet pig's presence in bed somewhat amusing. She thought about what other people would think if they knew it slept in her bed at night, but then didn't care because she loved P-Chan. "Good morning, sleepy-head," she said to the black as night animal, giving it a delightful smile.
P-Chan perked his ears and opened one eye, then both, establishing a clear vision of Akane. He knew it was morning as the glow of the sun brightened the room. But all he needed to brighten his day was to see Akane's face. All other things were of no consequence and failed in comparison to her warming glow.
P-Chan sat up and stretched, but he underestimated the angle of the bed, fell over, and somersaulted to the middle. This made Akane laugh. Her gentle, hearty laugh brought a smile to his face. He was glad to bring a smile to her face with his antics despite them being unintentional.
"You're being silly this morning, P-Chan," she said, and then got dressed in her robe.
She picked P-Chan up and cradled him like a baby, which he liked. He loved it when she paid him this kind of attention because he never got it from anyone else. She was the only one who cared for him. But if she knew the deep dark secret he harboured she would hate him forever. Only two people knew of his secret in the household. Ranma and his father. But bound by the martial artist code Ranma swore not to tell anyone; and Genma didn't care. Ranma's father was cursed too so thought nothing of it. Ranma on the other hand liked to tease him and enjoyed flaunting hints about Ryoga's curse as Akane's pet pig.
And despite the deep, passionate, burning desire he had for Akane, Ryoga considered her a little dense about the whole curse thing. Maybe it was her innocence, or perhaps she just didn't want to believe it? But in a town inhabited by five people cursed by a spring in Jusenkyo, how could she not? Or maybe she did know and was just pretending not to know? Regardless of the truth, he was enjoying her loving embrace.
Akane carried him down to the tea room where Kasumi was serving breakfast. Akane put P-Chan down to eat as she knelt at the table. Ranma stared at P-Chan with relentless resentment as he ate. He knew P-Chan had slept in Akane's bed again last night and he didn't like it. And yet he would never admit his jealousy though he could hardly deny it. But Ryoga knew Ranma was jealous and it was something he liked having over him. He had something Ranma didn't have and saw things he should not have seen. But he didn't care that Ranma hated him for that and P-Chan stuck his tongue out at him in clear mockery.
Ranma gritted his teeth and broke a chopstick in his hand in anger. Akane then began to feed P-Chan little bits of food and this produced an outrage in Ranma and felt like leaping over the table and beating the crap out of him. But he withheld that urge because if did do it Akane would beat the crap out of him and he didn't want a shiner for student picture day today. Akane was very protective of P-Chan.
She threw the craziest hissy fits about the smallest things and he was always the target of her anger whether he was directly involved or not. He couldn't believe that one chick could have so much anger inside her. But, yet again, she was a tomboy, so he figured it was the natural course of any such mentality.
After breakfast Akane returned to her room and got ready for school. P-Chan meanwhile watched her and indulged himself in a few long-term fantasies. He imagined that he was engaged to Akane and the Tendo Dojo was his to inherit. He didn't understand why Akane continued to play into this fake conviction that she and Ranma would one day get married. She hated him or that's what Ryoga thought. But day after day they took one step closer to shattering his dreams forever. His entire life was his love for Akane. If she and Ranma got married, what would he do? The future looked bleak. What would a love struck, teen, martial artist, with no sense of direction do with his life? Open up a dojo perhaps? That was one outlook. But for right now, the present now, he loved his place in the hierarchy in the Tendo Dojo, and he was here to stay.
Akane left for school. And soon the entire household was empty. And P-Chan was alone.
P-Chan sat at the foot of the stairs and looked out across the front hall to the front door. The door was locked and he was trapped inside without an avenue of escape. Or that's what he wanted the others to think. In truth he had the ability to leave at any time. After all his true appearance was human. Akane once said to him that he was the smartest animal she ever knew. If only she knew how smart he really was she would learn he was no ordinary animal.
But there were a few drawbacks to being an animal in an empty house and that was loneliness. An animal's master goes off and leaves it for sometimes half a day while they work or go to school. Does anyone really know what that animal does to pass the time? Does it sleep, eat, or play? But he knew and it depressed him. So P-Chan took a walk to the main floor bathroom and systematically turned on the cold and hot water taps with his front feet. When the bathtub was filled and set to a perfect warm temperature he jumped in head first and transformed into his human form.
Ryoga emerged and turned off the water taps. He leaned back against the back of the bathtub and brushed his wet hair out of his face. He then took off his bandanna and cradled it in both hands looking at it thoughtfully. His father had given it to him when he was ten years old as a birthday gift and it symbolized strength and power. His father had worn it while fighting in countless prize-fighting competitions when he was younger and now gave it to his only son to pass the torch. This was why martial arts was so important to him because it was only link left to his late, dearly-departed father, who passed away suddenly.
His father was a powerful martial artist and to whom he owned everything. He trained his son in a variety of different martial arts styles and techniques, but mostly simple things. But that was all he could teach him before his death. A month later Ryoga had that encounter with Ranma Saotome in the school soup kitchen and then left home to follow Ranma to Jusenkyo. Ryoga figured this was why he didn't have what it took to beat Ranma because he wasn't as advanced, but that didn't mean he wasn't powerful. He had developed and learnt a few tricks of his own during his journeys and training sessions. And yet it still wasn't enough to defeat Saotome and their long standing rivalry.
Nevertheless he kept trying and it was this bandanna that kept him going. Without this he would be nothing; just another martial arts in a sea of fighters to which martial arts was a way to win prizes. But martial arts was much more than being able to defeat your opponent. It had its own attitude, and it was a source of balance in one's life. And Ryoga took it seriously. Martial arts was in his blood and had been for many generations of his family. It was his lifeblood. He didn't know what he would do if one day he lost the ability to practise it. But he didn't want to think about that. He had enough to depressing him.
The warmth of the water enveloped his body and he dropped his bandanna over the side to enjoy it. It had been days since he was able to transform into his human self for fear of Akane worrying about P-Chan. But all that was moot and he was able to relax and have the house to himself for a while.
He laughed as a thought struck him.
When he first arrived in Nerima his mind was focused on revenge. In following Ranma to Jusenkyo his life had been changed forever. He fell into a spring at Jusenkyo and was cursed with the body of a black piglet whenever doused with cold water. And hence he developed a fear of water because of that. Every time he was near water he took an alternate path to avoid being splashed. It was such a pain not being able to enjoy some of the simple pleasures that other people took for granted. But now his curse seemed second nature and he had gotten used to all the things he did to avoid water. And he smirked in the ridiculous fashion.
He blamed Ranma for his suffering. Every time he saw Ranma a hatred bubbled up inside him. He incorporated numerous techniques and solicited the help of many people to aid him to defeat Ranma, but no matter what he did or what new skill he learned Ranma always managed to defeat him.
It was busedo for a warrior to admit defeat and then leave never to cross paths with the victor again, but he was no ordinary martial artist and he refused to quit. His father taught him that. A warrior continues until he triumphants no matter the odds. And revenge is a very powerful emotion to drive on.
Besides his love for Akane always brought him back whether he wished it or not. Someday he would return to Jusenkyo and admonish the curse that inflicted his body like a virus, but in the meantime he was merely content with his life until fate smiled fortune upon him. Though what more would he be to Akane than her pet pig? He loved her with all his heart but didn't have the courage to speak his mind. Every time he spoke to her he sounded foolish. But when the day comes his curse is lifted he would propose to her and stop the travesty Ranma laid upon Akane's shoulders with his burdensome presence.
Ranma didn't deserve her, and their engagement was a disgrace.
Brought together by their fathers for the soul purpose of joining the Saotome and Tendo houses for the sake of continuing the School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts was a mistake. Yes, there was something to be said about keeping the traditional ways alive, but Ranma and Akane were mix-matched. And he had voiced his strong opinion against the engagement on several occasions. Then why did Akane stay with Ranma?
The whole thing was so confusing to him.
Ryoga sighed. He leaned his head against the side of the bathtub and closed his eyes, envisioning Akane in his mind. And then fell asleep allowing his fantasies to play out in any fashion they saw fit. An hour later he awoke to find the temperature of the water was freezing cold. But he had not changed.
He had learned quite recently that there were limitations to the curse. And he never told anyone about it.
He found out that as long as his body wasn't totally submerged he could enjoy water like a normal person. He discovered this on one his latest training journeys when he went to collect a fish in cold water he had caught while fishing with a pole. He was able to submerge his body up to a certain point without changing. He didn't know why it happened, but he reasoned it out and came to a solution: that the body's temperature must be reduced fully to transform. When splashed with cold water the skin's temperature is reduced, when splashed with hot water the skin's temperature returns to normal. Whether it was true he had a solution.
Carefully he rose from the water and stepped out on to the floor, water dripped from his naked body. He grabbed a towel that hung from a hook on the wall and wrapped it around his waist. He then submerged an arm very slowly into the water and pulled out the plug from the bottom of the bathtub, made sure not to make a splash, and watched as the water swirled in a counter-clock wise direction down the drain.
He walked over to the sink and looked contemplatively into the mirror. He was young and good looking. Somewhat vein of him to think like that but as for appearance he couldn't deny it. If he wanted he could date any girl he wanted. Some of the girls at Akane's school thought he was cute. But there was only girl for him. And he was a one woman man. Besides in his heart he couldn't bare to cheat on Akane. He loved her so much that it would be wrong. He would just have to win her heart.
Ryoga turned on the taps to the sink underneath the mirror to deliver a perfect temperature of tepid water. He then took a face cloth that rested upon others on the tank of the toilet and wet it under the water to wash his face and neck. He rarely got the time to pamper himself like this because he most always shared a rest area with others at the public baths. But here he could take his time and no one would bother him.
Suddenly he heard a loud bang and the word, "Oops!" spoken almost apologically. He quickly turned off the sink taps and went to the closed bathroom door, putting a keen ear to listen and tried to envision what he was hearing. He heard the sound of rustling paper and of shoes scuffing across hard wood floor. Moments later he heard nothing as if it was all his imagination. But he knew it wasn't. Someone was in the house.
He turned back to look at the bathroom and wondered what to do. If someone was in the house, a stranger perhaps or maybe one of the Tendo's arriving back home early, he couldn't let them find him in here, and naked. A thought struck him and he tried not to panic like he normally did because whoever it was would not come in here if it was who he thought it was. If he was correct it was Kasumi, home from shopping and she was most likely hard at work in the kitchen. She was most likely putting away the groceries and that's why he couldn't hear her. She was always so quiet. But he had to get out of the bathroom and somehow get his clothes from Ranma's room, for that's where he kept them when he stayed as P-Chan in the house.
Ryoga picked up his bandanna from the floor -- he couldn't forget that -- and put it back around his head. Then he quietly opened the bathroom door and stealthy moved down the hall, breaking at an open doorway which was the kitchen. He hugged the wall and peaked around the corner, under the five inch, blue curtain that hung from a rod embedded one inch from the ceiling. Kasumi was hard at work cooking something in a steel pot on the stove. Ryoga sniffed the air and thought for split moment about turning around and turning back into P-Chan again, because Kasumi always made such delicious meals, but then thought against it. He wanted to leave the Tendo household a while if only to stretch his human legs and he couldn't do that if he remained P-Chan. So knowing the coast was clear with Kasumi's back turned to him he softly crept across the doorway. But then something totally unexpected happened -- his towel dropped off in mid-stride.
He froze like a deer in the headlights. Then so many things raced through his mind, horrible things, about the perversion of the situation. Soon his instinct kicked in and his picked up his towel and barrel rolled to the other side of the doorway. But in a heir of misfortunate he banged his head against the wall when he landed. It was then that he heard Kasumi stop what she was doing, and said, "Hello? Is anyone there?" Her sweet, lovely, motherly voice rang inside his ears and he started to cry silent tears.
He thought it was all over, his swan song had sung. He would never be able to show his face in this house again after Kasumi found him cradled in a ball, behind this wall, naked as a jailbird. His heart pounded like a jackhammer upon a cement road, trying to escape his chest. His tears fell down the curves of his cheeks and to his chest cascading down past his legs and to the floor. The Eternal Lost Boy named Ryoga Hibiki was a pervert, sitting naked on the floor, behind a wall, across from a fully clothed woman. No one would believe him that it was all a misunderstanding. . .
Once again Kasumi's voice was heard again, "If someone is there, please show yourself?"
But Ryoga was frozen to the spot, he couldn't move.
"Mmm," Kasumi sounded. "Guess it was my imagination." And turned back around.
Ryoga braved his cowardice wondering if Kasumi was still looking in his direction and peaked around the corner. Once he saw Kasumi's back turned his heart began to clam itself and he started to breath a little easier. He even released a deep breath that he didn't even realise he was holding. Knowing he was out of danger he grabbed his towel, stood up, wrapped it around his waist, took one last glance around the corner and made his way to the front hall, passing the tea room on his way to the stairs that lead to the second floor.
But if nothing else could go wrong it did when he placed his weight on the first step to the stairs. It creaked horribly. He momentarily froze with fear wondering if Kasumi heard the noise, and then scooted upstairs even if she did. Kasumi came out of the kitchen and looked down the hallway. There was no one in sight.
Ryoga once again stopped and took a breather. His heart was pounding again. He leaned against the wooden banister at the top of the stairs and squeezed it tightly as if mad at himself. He was foolish and stupid for trying to come up here. He should have just stayed as P-Chan and everything would have been fine. But after thinking about it he came to the conclusion that he had done the right thing. His feelings were strong for Akane, but so was his desire to be human. "I'm sorry Akane, P-Chan must go away for a little while, and so must I," he spoke softly as if Akane was in the hall with him. "There are things I must do, places I must go, skills I must learn, to beat Ranma, and to earn your love. I am too weak to be with you." A tear fell from his right eye and landed on the floor. "For now Ranma will protect you."
Ryoga went across the hall and opened the door to Ranma room. Here he got dressed and got his gear from the closet. Next he opened the window and jumped onto the window sill where he turned, looked, and gave a thoughtful smile to Akane's room where he could see from his standpoint. "Goodbye Akane," he said, and then gripped the top edge of the window and flipped out and onto the roof, landing in a crouch. And finally he stood up and surveyed the neighbourhood, whispering one last goodbye. His hair blew in a sudden wind that whipped past the property. The once bright, sunny sky had become cloudy, which mirrored his mood.
Ryoga then jumped down off the roof and onto the brick wall that surrounded the property and lost himself in the streets, lost once more in the multitude maze of houses, in the town he often called home.
The End