My second fic... there will be references to things that happened in the manga and not the anime.

"R... Ryoga... I'm flattered but... Ranma and I are..."

Just remembering the words made him sulk. He finally had the chance to tell her how he feels without Ranma interrupting. But she turned him down. They're engaged... She and Ranma bonded and... He didn't hear the rest.

"I see," said Ryoga, tears forming in his eyes. "I won't bother you anymore then..." He turned and ran.

"Wait! Ryoga!" Akane yelled after him. You didn't let me finish...

Akane had walked all over Nerima hoping to find Ryoga. I can't find him... I'm so tired. He must have left town already.

"Where have *you* been all day?" a familiar voice snickered. "And what do you care?" Akane replied sarcastically.

"Kasumi asked me to look for you. It's already past dinner time! You've been out all day. What've you been doing?"

"As if you really care!" Akane retorted and stuck her tongue at him as she turned to run home.

"Geez, what's with that macho chick?" Ranma looked on aloof.

Ryoga watched as the sun set from the horizon. He was high on the cliffs overlooking Nerima. Goodbye forever, Akane. But Ranma... just you wait. It's not over between us. Soon he was deep in the wilderness. He hadn't stopped running since those words rang in his ears. But it was getting dark. At times like this, when he was depressed, he would turn into P-chan and find happiness in Akane's arms. But not this time. She loves P-chan. Not me. There was no comfort in that. What do I do now?

I hope he hadn't gone too far. He could be anywhere now...

"Where are you off to so early this morning?" Ranma asked Akane in a sarcastic tone, feigning apathy.

"I'm going to look for Ryoga. YOU should go back home!" She walked as fast as she could to leave him behind.

"What? What for?"

"What do you care!" Akane kicked Ranma into the air. If I couldn't find him in town yesterday, I probably won't find him here now. She thought back for clues as to where he may be. Maybe he's back in the woods, where the mushrooms of time are. Or at least passed through that area. I'll have to check...

Deep in the woods Akane found her clue. What's this? The top cover of a cup ramen? It's still clean. Ryoga must've left it behind just yesterday or this morning. I have to keep... Akane didn't notice the hornet clinging to the backside of the cover until it flew up buzzing in a rage. "Ah!" She swatted but missed. The hornet flew up for an attack. That's when she noticed the hive on a nearby tree, where hornets were crawling out and buzzing loudly. They were swarming and began to fly towards the one hornet. Suddenly a shadow flew down and crushed the hornet before it hit its target.

"RUN!" The shadow commanded. Akane turned and ran as quickly as she could for cover.

"You stupid girl! What the hell were you thinking?"

"Shut up, Ranma! I have to find Ryoga, or we may never see him again! Why were you following me anyway?"

"Because you're dumb as a brick and always get yourself into trouble! Did you want to risk your life to confess your love to him or something?"

"RANMA!" Akane aimed a fist right at his face. For the first time, Ranma caught Akane's hand and prevented the attack.

"Akane... what exactly happened?" He decided to diffuse the situation and asked calmly. "I'll help you out..." Ranma was always there to help her when she needed it. Doubly now that it also involved his friend and only rival.

"Geez, that stupid jerk." Ryoga can be as sneaky and deceptive like the other suitors. He caught on to Ranma's antics and waited until he was busy sparring with his father to tell Akane how he feels. "How dare he..." Ranma thought to himself. "At least Akane doesn't return the feelings. But what's with this letter she gave me?" She wrote a letter and was about to post it for Ryoga's house, hoping he was making his way there. He goes home occasionally. Even if it took him a long time to get there, he'd get it eventually. Ranma offered to just find Ryoga and give it to him. The letter would age and fall apart before Ryoga would ever make it home. A red tent caught his eye and he came to an abrupt stop. He was 50 feet high on a cliff and below him was a camp. It's Ryoga... It was only noon. He must've stopped for lunch. Where was he exactly? He went on to look.

Ryoga stood at the base of a waterfall, wishing he could bathe and meditate underneath. Meditating under a cold waterfall to cleanse the body and soul was a practice he had picked up along his travels. Unfortunately, that ended after his trip to Jusenkyo. "Ranma... it's all your fault... I'll get you yet..." He closed his eyes and dropped his head slightly. He then turned to go back to camp. As he stepped away he felt a heavy weight drop on his head.

"Yo, Ryoga, where are you off to now?"

"What are you doing here and what do you want?" Ryoga said spitefully, head hanging in grief.

"I heard Akane hurt your feelings," Ranma said teasingly.

"I'm not in the mood for this."

"Aww cheer up, pal. At least now you can find someone who isn't dumb as a brick, whose thighs are too thick..."

"You're getting on my ne-erves..." Ryoga's hands clenched.

"I mean, that stupid macho chick almost got herself stung to death today looking for..."

"RANMA!" Ryoga's eyes glowed red. Red aura emitted from him.

Uh oh...

"I'VE HAD ENOUGH OF YOU TRASH TALKING AKANE! ...RANMA... THE WAY YOU TREAT AKANE..." His body grew tense. "...IS UNFORGIVEABLE!" Shin Shi Shi Hokodan!

The red aura formed a large ball and rose from Ryoga, only to fall back down with incredible speed.

Ranma was knocked off Ryoga's head as the beam blasted upwards. He started gunning it as soon as he landed on his feet, but the blast was too large and came too fast. He was crushed to the ground.

"MOREOVER, YOU'VE HUMILIATED ME ONE TOO MANY TIMES!" Shin Shi Shi Hokodan!

Ranma looked on in panic. "If I can't dodge this one, I can negate it by not having emotions..." Not an easy task for someone whose confidence and arrogance was plentiful. Meditation and clearing his mind weren't his specialty either. He could feel the strength of the blast increase. I don't think I can take too many of these this time...

If he could stand just up after the blast, he would be ready to run before Ryoga could get a chance to do any more. Ryoga was fast, but he was faster. But Ranma was still recovering from the blast and took too long to get up. It was too late. Ryoga sensed Ranma's urgency and was already behind him. He quickly caught him in a choke hold.

No... what do I do now? I need to distract him. I need to think of something that'll get him out of despair and stop him from creating the blast. Or at least have the blast hit him too! I know! I'll tell him Akane said she loves him! ...as a friend.

"Most of all Ranma... you're with... you're with..." his grip tightened. "...you're with... THE ONE I LOVE!" Ultimate Shin Shi Shi Hokodan!

"Ry..." It was no use. Ranma could barely choke out his name. He struggled with Ryoga's strength. No martial arts move could get him out of that grip. A telephone pole would be crushed and split in half by now. Even when Ryoga's grip loosened as the blast rose up from him Ranma only managed to catch his breath and start coughing.

Ranma woke up alone in a large, deep pit. The sun was lowering in the horizon, coloring orange and red to border the blue of the sky. That last blast was enormous. Maybe they should never have another formal fight with Akane as the prize. His head still throbbing and slightly dizzy, he climbed out of the pit and sat by the river. He heard a crumpling noise as he bent down. Oh yeah, the letter. He didn't have a chance to... Hey what's in this letter anyway? Then a thought came to mind. *gasp*... What if she really did want to tell him she loved him back?... and not just as a friend... The very thought made him hot with envy. Stupid Akane. She can do whatever she wants. Grr. Why should I deliver the letter? An image of Ryoga holding Akane's hand flashed in his mind. He struggled with himself whether or not he should open the letter.

In truth, true to the manga, Ryoga would've buried Ranma after he passed out lol. His murderous tendencies towards Ranma is kind of amusing. It's always the nice guys.