Almost Perfect
Chapter 1: Pigtailed girl
It was the same old day, the morning sun beating upon their faces, Ranma running along the fence, and Akane running along side him. Her school uniform fluttered as she raced towards school.But there was someone else with them, someone with red heair, and a vlue school uniform; just like Akane's. She trailed behind them, screaming at them to slow down.
"A-akane! Ranma!! Slow down! I can't run that fast!" the red head screamed as she panted along, trying to keep up. Akane gave a small groan and looked back at the red head impatiently. Ranma glanced at Akane.
"Aw, come on Akane, she isn't as skilled as you. You need to learn to accept people when they aren't as fast as you," Ranma said hopping down from the fence, and running along said thered head instead. Akane frowned.
"Shut up!" she screamed and smacked Ranma in the face with her bookbag. He stopped for a minute, thrown off balance by the sudden blow to the face,"I CAN accept people when they aren't as fast as me! I never implied that I didn't!" Ranma caught up again and then smirked.
"Oh really? Then what was that groan for?" he asked suspicously. Akane stopped, suddenly speechless. It was as if she could only focus on the question, and try to find an equally rude reply to hit Ranma with. Ranma stopped and looked back at Akane, who was red in the face with no answer. Ranma turned away.
"Come on Ranko, lets go before this tomboy thinks of something else to say,"he said to the red head. Ranko glanced back at Akane.
"That's not nice Ran-" but Ranko was cut off when she saw Ranma look back at her. She dropped her head and nodded instead. Akane watched them run ahead. Her eyes shone, slightly. Looking down, sh continued to school, at a sad jog.
* * * *
When she reached the gate, she stopped her slow pace of running, and walked slowly into school. Ranma had taken so much out of her these past few days. The hurtful names like Tomboy, had become unbearable, and slowly, she had been getting more and more depressed. Her heart wasn't in her, and fighting seemed so pointless, meaningless, stupid. She barely noticed Kuno embrace her.
"My sweet Akane Tendo! Why are you so sad? Could it be the illusive Ranma Saotome?! Curses!" he shouted hugging Akane to his chest. Akane just pushed him away, rather then punting him over the city as usual. Kuno looked over in shock as he watched Akane slump to class. He did even try to stop her; he just watched her in shock. But he soon snapped out of his trance to see Ranko in a school uniform.
"What's this? My sweet pigtailed maiden in school garments? How intriguing" Kuno said slyly. Ranko looked around the school aimlessly, and slightly frightened. Kuno ran over insanely and latched onto her.
"Pigtailed grl! How lovely you ar-" But he was cut off wth Ranma's elbow in his face.
"Hey don't touch my....er....cousin Kuno!" he snarled hesitently. Kuno rubbed his face.
"Cousin?" he asked. Ranko cocked her head at him and giggled.
"Hello, my name is Ranko Saotome. Who are you?" she asked him. Kuno's eyes shone.
"Ranko!! The heavens sing such a sweet melody when your name is spoken! But alas, you are a Saotome. Oh well, no matter. When our love blossoms, a name cannot come between us." Kuno said embracing her again. Ranma kick Kuno in the face who fell over. Ranko bent over and looked at him.
"Who are you?" she repeated. Kuno stood up, tears running down his cheeks.
"Who am I?! After all the time I've spent with you! All our memories! How can you not know who I am?!" he asked dramatically.
"Time? Memories? I've never seen you before in my life," Ranko said, her voice quavering with surprise. Kuno stared at her in shock.
"Kuno, the redhead girl you are thinking of is Ranko's identical twin. Unfortunately, she was klled in a car crash. THIS is Ranko Saotome," Ranma said pointing to Ranko. Ranko smiled at him and waved. Kuno blinked as he let everything settle in.
"So what you're saying is...there has been two pigtailed goddess all along?! And you never told me?!" Kuno asked. Ranma sighed.
"Yeah Kuno, whatever."
"Then let me introduce myself to THIS pigtai- I mean Ranko. Behold! I am the rising sun, the champion of the school's kendo club. I am know as the blue thunder of Furikan High! Tatiwaki Kuno, age 17," he said bowing and giving her a rose. Ranko looked at it fondly and smiled.
"Oh thank you," she said politely, reaching out to take the rose. Ranma smacked to rose from Kuno's hand.
"Saotome! Stop interfering!" Kuno screamed at him furiously. Ranko looked at Ranma crossly. Ranma's expression was so full of rage and hatrid, and his hand were place firmly on his hips, as his beady eyes glared at Ranko. She bit her lip sadly, and lowered her eyes.
"Ranko! What are you doing?! You don't even know Kuno! Don't you ever take anything from this guy! He will always find someway to use it against you! How can you be so stupid!" he shouted at her. Ranko bowed.
"Sorry Ranma..." she said quietly. Kuno suddenly lashed out at Ranma. Ranma managed to step out of the way in time.
"Rana! How dare you try and control her life! Let us be! Can't you see we are in love?! You are some sickminded fool if you have such feeling for your cousin!" Kun yelled, his voice enraged.
"What?! You are sick Kuno! That's it! I can't take it anymore! Ran your own life Ranko, but don't come crying to me when you have a puny wedding ring on your finger and you are walking down the aisle next to Tatikawi Kuno!" he said angrily, stalking into school in a huff. Ranko stood there, her eyes shining. Her eyes stared at him sadly, the tears running down her cheeks, without even a sob leaking from her. Through the short time of being with there, Ranma had been so degrading to her, that she had once been fresh, and spunky, but now she had been reduced to a shy, quiet girl. Maybe Ranma felt threatened by her, or even embarrased that she used to be part of him. Whatever it was, he was very hard on Ranko.
"That's right Ranma! You just keep walking! Now the truth of our love can blossom!" Kuno said dramatically. Quickly he embraced her, and held Rankot his chest. Ranko did nothing, but suddenly began to cry hysterically. Kuno looked down at her, and pulled her away from him by her shoulders, so he could look into her face. It was so sad, that it would make anyone who saw it want to cry as well. It was twisted; eyes shut tight, bottom lip turned up, and the sides of the mouth turned down. She was biting her lip to keep from crying, but it wasn't helping at all. The tears poured from her eyes, and she sobbed insanely. Kuno hugged her tight again.
"Saotome! He has upset my beautiful goddess! I will destroy him!" Kuno shouted furiously. Ranko grabbed his arm and looked him straight in the face,shaking her head.
"Don't hurt Ranma! Please! He didn't do anything wrong! It's all my fault! Don't punish himon my behalf!" she cried, her dark, blue eyes wide. Suddenly the bell rang, and Kuno still stood with no reply, so Ranko gathered up her books, and ran to class in tears.
* * * *
"Everyone, we have a new student. This is Ranko Saotome. She is Ranma Saotome's..." the teacher trailed off, wait for Ranko to fill in the blank. There she was, standing in front of the class, shyly looking at the floor. Suddenly she loked up.
"Oh, I'm his sis-"
"Cousin!" Ranma said standing up suddenly, "she is my cousin." Ranko was about to retort, but then Ranma flashed her a look that made her fall silent intantly.
"Ranma's cousin," the teacher finished, " she will be in our class from now on, so let's give her a warm Nihao Welcome. Your late traits, because just like Ranma, even thought it is your first day, that doesn't excuse the fact that you were late. So go stand in the hall." Ranko looked up in surprise.
"But Mr-" she stopped when she saw the teacher's expression flare up in surprise that she would test him. She closed her mouth and bit her lip. Quietly she headed for the door. Suddenly, the books slipped from her arms, and they toppled over and hit the floor. She blushed, and desperately tried to gather then up, but the more she tried, the more they fell to the ground. The whole class began to snicker at this, but by the time she fumbling to the point of humiliation, the class was hysterical with laughter. The only two people who didn't laugh, were Akane ( who sat silently in the back of the class), and Ranma who smacked his forehead and shook his head. Suddenly, everyone stopped laughing to see a young man with black hair, and glinting brown eyes, stoop down and helped Ranko with her books. He picked them up, and handed them to her neatly.
"Here you are," he said to her. Ranko would have turned redder if she could have, but she could onl take her books, bow, and go into the hall in humiliation.
"Who are you?" the teacher said angrily. The boy looked up and scratched his head.
"Hey! That's-" Akan started.
"Yep, it Ryouga," Ranma said, slightly horror struck to see him.
"Uh, I'm Ryouga Hibiki. I'm sorry, I got lost. Can you tell me how to get out of here?" Ryoga asked.
"No! You are disrupting class!" the teacher yelled. Ryoga blinked and bowed.
"Sorry, I'm leave," he said, exiting the room. Ranma suddenly stood up.
"Hey Ryouga! How did you get lost in a school building?! You arn't even suppose to be in here in the first place!" Ranma screamed from the back of the class.
"Ranma! Go stand in the hall! Geez! You Saotome's cause so much trouble!" the teacher said a angrily. Ranma sighed, and went into the hall. Ranko looked up, drying her eyes.
"Ranko! You are making me look like an idiot!" Ranma hissed when Ryouga had closed to door behind him. Ranko looked at him sadly.
"How so?" Ranko asked quietly.
"Oh, Just never mind! You wouldn't understand!" he said harshly, swinging around, and picking up a water bucket, that sat outside the class room.
"Hey Ranma! You're so crule! What gives you the right to treat anyone like this?!" Ryouga snapped angrily.
"Oh come on! Don't I have enough people mad at me today! Akane, Kuno, Ranko-"
"I'm not mad at you,"Ranko said quietly looking up.
"Oh yeah? Well the way you were hanging all over Kuno, youd think something was up," Ranma snapped. Suddenly, something clicked in Ryoga's head.
"Hey! Wait a minute! Arn't you...Ranma?" he said pointing at Ranko. Ranko looked up at him, and shook her head.
"Not anymore." Ryoga blinked and scratched his head.
"Ranma, do explain," Ryoga said turning to Ranma. Ranma sighed.
"It all started a month ago..."
~ ~ ~ ~
"Huh? Mousse? What are you doing here?" Ranma said in shock to see Mousse grinning happily, and strolling into Ukyo's Okonomiyaki's shop. He sat down at the counter and ordered a spinach okonomyaki. This was odd, since Mousse could just eat at the Cat Cafe for free, and since he worked there, it was no problem. It was also weird, since Mousse had never even set foot in the Okonomiyaki shop, and he was acting like it was perfectly natural. Mousse looked over at Ranma, the happy smirk still lingering across his face.
"Oh, I just found out some amazing news from the old, dried-up monkey," Mousse said casually, leaning on the counter. At this remark, Ranma half expected the old bat to come bounding in on her staff, and start beating Mousse over the head. He blinked and turned up his nose.
"Who Cologne? Humph! Well if it came from her, it con't have much use to me, unless it's something i will find out in the near future. It's probably some new tactic Shampoo has for trying to get me to marry her," Ranma said snootily.
"Saotome, how dare you speak of Shampoo in such an ill tone," Mousse said, his voice enraged. Suddenly, he bit his lip and calmed down.
"I must restrain myself," Mousse said quietly. Then he threw up his hands and said, "besides, it's my gain and your loss anyways. That's right Ranma, it didn't have to do with Shampoo, but mainly the horrid curse I have." Mousse smirked to see Ranma perk up.
"Your curse? Is she getting you contacts?" Ranma asked as Mousse fell over.
"No! You idiot! My curse is that i turn into a duck!" Mousse hollored at Ranma.
"Oh? What about it?" Ranma asked nonchalantly. Mousse knew it was trying to come in for the kill.
"Well, the old bat told me how to get rid of it. So that mean if I use it properly, I will never turn into a duck again. Ever." Mousse said his voice sinking into Ranma's skull. Ranma gasped and looked at him in shock, before he jumped on Mousse, and grabbed the neck on his shirt.
"Tell me! Tell me what that old bat told you!!" Ranma said tugging on Mousse's collar. Mousse smirked.
"Why should I help you? All you've done is made my life miserable," Mousse said calmly. Ranma's eyes bulged.
"Me?! Make your life miserable?! You sonavabitch! All I do is walk by you and, you attack me! You should be helping me as a debt!" Ranma shouted in rage, twisting Mousse's collar slightly. Mousse frowned and shoved Ranma off of him.
"Hah! You have been try to steal my dear Shampoo from me for years! Can't you see-"
"No can't YOU see! Shampo has been glomping me since she first arrived, without my consent. But then again, i shouldn't expect you to know that since you're blinder then a bat," Ranma said darkly. Mousse frowned.
"That is so untrue!!" Mousse shouted.
"Actually, it is true Mousse," Ukyo said angrily flipping his okinomiyaki, "that little bitch has been annoying Ran-chan all this time. t's not his fault that the bitch won't leave him alone."
"DON'T CALL HER A BITCH!!" Mousse yelled. Suddenly, someone enter the shop.
"Don't call who bitch, Mousse?" Shampoo asked as she entered, "Mousse should no be using such language. It bad. Very very bad."
"Shampoo!" Mousse shouted in glee. But as he was about to embrace her, she spotted Ranma, and glomped him happily. Mousse turned around in circles a couple of times, before he saw Shampoo hanging off of Ranma.
"Now do you believe me Mousse?" Ranma said in an annoyed voice. Mousse frowned in disgust.
"Shampoo is merely fixated on you," Mousse said feircely. Shampoo glared at him.
"Mousse you go to cafe`!! Great-grandmother want to see you!! Leave Shampoo alone in her happiness," she said angrily. Mousse looked shocked, but then looked down sadly. Nodding, he left the shop silently. Ranma suddnly ran after him.
"Oh no you don't! If the old bat wants you, it might be abou t the curse! I'm coming too!" Ranma said chasing after Mousse until his pace fell into line with his. Shampoo slid off of Ranma and gazed up at him.
"Ranma! Some silly curse more important to you then Shampoo?" she said in a hurt voice.
"You're damn skippy!" Ranma said as he walk along with Mousse.
That was the first time Shampoo ever felt the rejection that Ranma felt for her.
"Granny! Hey Granny!" Ranma said walking up to the wrinkled up old woman. Cologne looked up at Ranma.
"Ah! Son-in-law! How good of you to drop by! Did you come by to ask for Shampoo?" Cologne asked in glee. Ranma frowned.
"Hell no! I wanted to know about this way to get rid of the curse!" Ranma shouted at her. Cologne glared at Mousse.
"Mousse, when i said you could have the medicine, i didn't mean you could blab it to the first person you saw!"
"Hey, look! You promised to tell me, so cough up how to stop turning into a duck!"
"Alright alright!" Cologne sighed, "I'll tell you. There is only one way to get rid of the curse you bare, and that is to take this..." Cologne handed him a bag of green powder. Ranma gaped.
"Hey! I want some! Give me some!" Ranma shouted. Cologne sighed.
"Son-in-law, stop shouting. Aright, you may have some..." she handed ran a pouch as well. Ranma flipped open the pouch and was about to pour the powder down his throat when Cologne stopped him
"Son-in-law! Stop! You can't take it like that! if you do, it will do nothing for you!" Ranma growled.
"So then what do I do, Granny!"
"You must place this powder in a cup of warm wter, with ice cubes in it. Then, you must swallow the wholething, icecubes and all. Understood?" Cologne asked them. Ranma nodded.
"Alright! Now I can stop being a girl, forever!" With that, he ran back to the tendo's.
"Get out of my way, pervert!" Akane screamed at Ranma when he was in her way in the hall. Ranma nodded slightly.
"Oh, sorry about that Akane...." Ranma said in a hypnotic voice. He stepped aside.
"Huh Ranma? Are you feeling okay?" Akane asked.
"Of course Akane, what would make you think that i'm not?" Ranma asked in the same hypnotic voice.
"Ranma...you're scaring me," Akane said taking a step away from him.
"Sorry Akane, I didn't mean to scare you..." Ranma said as he walked away to the kitchen. Akane's face filed with worry.
"Ranma.....what's gotten in to him? He seem almost nice...." Akane said quietly. She then proceeded to follow him to the kitchen to ask him what was up. suddenly, she heard Ranma chuckling. Akane stopped and peeped in. There he was, laughing sinisterly, and pouring some warm water into a glass.
"Heheheheheh....good-bye girl form....heheheheh..." he snickered as he put in the ice cubes. Akane raised an eyebrow.
"What the? Ice cubes in warm water? He has gone mad!" But that was when she saw the green powder being poured into the glass. Ranma didn't evn bother stirring or waiting. With a huge grin on his face, he said, "Good-bye Ran-chan!" and dumped the whole glass of water in his mouth, swallowing the ice cubes whole. Ranma closed his eyes and shivered as the ice cubed banged against the inside of his throat. Suddenly, he gagged and fell to the foor. Akane screamed and ran to his side.
"Ranma! Ranma! What's happening to you? Ranma!" Akane screamed. Ranma groaned, and looked up at her. And for the first time in a long time, anma smiled at her. It was weak, but true. He raised a hand and touched her cheek.
"Don't worry about me....Akane....everything is gonna be.....just fine now....."the he groaned loudly. Suddenly, a flash of green light appeared around Ranma, and from his chest, came a ghostly figure of a girl. Akane gasped. The girl was Ran-chan. The ghost Ran-chan landed lightly beside Ranma. The green light faded from them, and left in the place of the ghostly ran-chan, ws Ran-chan herself. Akane stepped back.
"B-but how?" Suddenly, Ranma groaned and woke upfrom his painful state. His eyes lit up and he ran to the sink, where he proceeded to dumped cold water over his head. He looked at himslef in glee.
"I-it worked! It actually worked!" Ranma shouted. Leaping around the room, he grasped Akane's hands and jumped up and down. Akane gave him a sad look.
"Ranma...what is going on?" she asked him.
"I got rid of it! I finally got rid of it!" he shouted in glee.
"Got rid of what?!" Akane screamed at him.
"My curse! My curse it gone!" Ranma said smiling huge and still jumping around.
"But ranma....isn't that....?" akane fell silent and pointed to the girl. Ranma stopped jumping around instantly, and the moment his eyes fell upon her, his happy smile faded.
"B-but i thought i got rid of.... no....t-this isn't happening! This another dream! Another fucking dream!" he shouted slamming his fist into the wall. Akane grabbed his arms.
"Ranma! This isn't a dream! This is serious! Now what did you take!" she screamed at him. Ranma looked down.
"The old bat found out a way to cure my curse....so she gave me the stuff.." ranma fell silent, "what is going on Akane? What is happening...." Akane wrapped her arms around him. As soon as she did,she wanted to pull away from her sudden insanity, but she couldn't do it, because Ranma had started to shake, as he forced back his tears.The girl suddenly sat up, her eyes shut tight. After sitting there for about two seconds, she opened her two big, blue, alert eyes. She looked around, very new, very naive, so sweet....
"Um excuse me, who are you?" Akane asked her. The girl looked and Akane, a big smile on her face.
"I'm Ranko! Who are you?"
~~~~~
"....and that is how Ranko came into this world." Ranko had silent the whole time, not moving, just looking down. Ryoga looked at Ranko.
"So, you arn't Ranma?" he asked her.
"No..I'm Ranko Saotome," she said, a depressed feeling hanging over her. Suddenly, Kuno came out of the room, his eye staring intensly at the three of them.
"Saotome! What do you think- Pigtailed maiden! Ranko! How lovely to see you again my love!" he said in surprise. Ranko looked up at him. Ranma sighed in frustration. He could tell already it was going to be a long day....
Chapter 1: Pigtailed girl
It was the same old day, the morning sun beating upon their faces, Ranma running along the fence, and Akane running along side him. Her school uniform fluttered as she raced towards school.But there was someone else with them, someone with red heair, and a vlue school uniform; just like Akane's. She trailed behind them, screaming at them to slow down.
"A-akane! Ranma!! Slow down! I can't run that fast!" the red head screamed as she panted along, trying to keep up. Akane gave a small groan and looked back at the red head impatiently. Ranma glanced at Akane.
"Aw, come on Akane, she isn't as skilled as you. You need to learn to accept people when they aren't as fast as you," Ranma said hopping down from the fence, and running along said thered head instead. Akane frowned.
"Shut up!" she screamed and smacked Ranma in the face with her bookbag. He stopped for a minute, thrown off balance by the sudden blow to the face,"I CAN accept people when they aren't as fast as me! I never implied that I didn't!" Ranma caught up again and then smirked.
"Oh really? Then what was that groan for?" he asked suspicously. Akane stopped, suddenly speechless. It was as if she could only focus on the question, and try to find an equally rude reply to hit Ranma with. Ranma stopped and looked back at Akane, who was red in the face with no answer. Ranma turned away.
"Come on Ranko, lets go before this tomboy thinks of something else to say,"he said to the red head. Ranko glanced back at Akane.
"That's not nice Ran-" but Ranko was cut off when she saw Ranma look back at her. She dropped her head and nodded instead. Akane watched them run ahead. Her eyes shone, slightly. Looking down, sh continued to school, at a sad jog.
* * * *
When she reached the gate, she stopped her slow pace of running, and walked slowly into school. Ranma had taken so much out of her these past few days. The hurtful names like Tomboy, had become unbearable, and slowly, she had been getting more and more depressed. Her heart wasn't in her, and fighting seemed so pointless, meaningless, stupid. She barely noticed Kuno embrace her.
"My sweet Akane Tendo! Why are you so sad? Could it be the illusive Ranma Saotome?! Curses!" he shouted hugging Akane to his chest. Akane just pushed him away, rather then punting him over the city as usual. Kuno looked over in shock as he watched Akane slump to class. He did even try to stop her; he just watched her in shock. But he soon snapped out of his trance to see Ranko in a school uniform.
"What's this? My sweet pigtailed maiden in school garments? How intriguing" Kuno said slyly. Ranko looked around the school aimlessly, and slightly frightened. Kuno ran over insanely and latched onto her.
"Pigtailed grl! How lovely you ar-" But he was cut off wth Ranma's elbow in his face.
"Hey don't touch my....er....cousin Kuno!" he snarled hesitently. Kuno rubbed his face.
"Cousin?" he asked. Ranko cocked her head at him and giggled.
"Hello, my name is Ranko Saotome. Who are you?" she asked him. Kuno's eyes shone.
"Ranko!! The heavens sing such a sweet melody when your name is spoken! But alas, you are a Saotome. Oh well, no matter. When our love blossoms, a name cannot come between us." Kuno said embracing her again. Ranma kick Kuno in the face who fell over. Ranko bent over and looked at him.
"Who are you?" she repeated. Kuno stood up, tears running down his cheeks.
"Who am I?! After all the time I've spent with you! All our memories! How can you not know who I am?!" he asked dramatically.
"Time? Memories? I've never seen you before in my life," Ranko said, her voice quavering with surprise. Kuno stared at her in shock.
"Kuno, the redhead girl you are thinking of is Ranko's identical twin. Unfortunately, she was klled in a car crash. THIS is Ranko Saotome," Ranma said pointing to Ranko. Ranko smiled at him and waved. Kuno blinked as he let everything settle in.
"So what you're saying is...there has been two pigtailed goddess all along?! And you never told me?!" Kuno asked. Ranma sighed.
"Yeah Kuno, whatever."
"Then let me introduce myself to THIS pigtai- I mean Ranko. Behold! I am the rising sun, the champion of the school's kendo club. I am know as the blue thunder of Furikan High! Tatiwaki Kuno, age 17," he said bowing and giving her a rose. Ranko looked at it fondly and smiled.
"Oh thank you," she said politely, reaching out to take the rose. Ranma smacked to rose from Kuno's hand.
"Saotome! Stop interfering!" Kuno screamed at him furiously. Ranko looked at Ranma crossly. Ranma's expression was so full of rage and hatrid, and his hand were place firmly on his hips, as his beady eyes glared at Ranko. She bit her lip sadly, and lowered her eyes.
"Ranko! What are you doing?! You don't even know Kuno! Don't you ever take anything from this guy! He will always find someway to use it against you! How can you be so stupid!" he shouted at her. Ranko bowed.
"Sorry Ranma..." she said quietly. Kuno suddenly lashed out at Ranma. Ranma managed to step out of the way in time.
"Rana! How dare you try and control her life! Let us be! Can't you see we are in love?! You are some sickminded fool if you have such feeling for your cousin!" Kun yelled, his voice enraged.
"What?! You are sick Kuno! That's it! I can't take it anymore! Ran your own life Ranko, but don't come crying to me when you have a puny wedding ring on your finger and you are walking down the aisle next to Tatikawi Kuno!" he said angrily, stalking into school in a huff. Ranko stood there, her eyes shining. Her eyes stared at him sadly, the tears running down her cheeks, without even a sob leaking from her. Through the short time of being with there, Ranma had been so degrading to her, that she had once been fresh, and spunky, but now she had been reduced to a shy, quiet girl. Maybe Ranma felt threatened by her, or even embarrased that she used to be part of him. Whatever it was, he was very hard on Ranko.
"That's right Ranma! You just keep walking! Now the truth of our love can blossom!" Kuno said dramatically. Quickly he embraced her, and held Rankot his chest. Ranko did nothing, but suddenly began to cry hysterically. Kuno looked down at her, and pulled her away from him by her shoulders, so he could look into her face. It was so sad, that it would make anyone who saw it want to cry as well. It was twisted; eyes shut tight, bottom lip turned up, and the sides of the mouth turned down. She was biting her lip to keep from crying, but it wasn't helping at all. The tears poured from her eyes, and she sobbed insanely. Kuno hugged her tight again.
"Saotome! He has upset my beautiful goddess! I will destroy him!" Kuno shouted furiously. Ranko grabbed his arm and looked him straight in the face,shaking her head.
"Don't hurt Ranma! Please! He didn't do anything wrong! It's all my fault! Don't punish himon my behalf!" she cried, her dark, blue eyes wide. Suddenly the bell rang, and Kuno still stood with no reply, so Ranko gathered up her books, and ran to class in tears.
* * * *
"Everyone, we have a new student. This is Ranko Saotome. She is Ranma Saotome's..." the teacher trailed off, wait for Ranko to fill in the blank. There she was, standing in front of the class, shyly looking at the floor. Suddenly she loked up.
"Oh, I'm his sis-"
"Cousin!" Ranma said standing up suddenly, "she is my cousin." Ranko was about to retort, but then Ranma flashed her a look that made her fall silent intantly.
"Ranma's cousin," the teacher finished, " she will be in our class from now on, so let's give her a warm Nihao Welcome. Your late traits, because just like Ranma, even thought it is your first day, that doesn't excuse the fact that you were late. So go stand in the hall." Ranko looked up in surprise.
"But Mr-" she stopped when she saw the teacher's expression flare up in surprise that she would test him. She closed her mouth and bit her lip. Quietly she headed for the door. Suddenly, the books slipped from her arms, and they toppled over and hit the floor. She blushed, and desperately tried to gather then up, but the more she tried, the more they fell to the ground. The whole class began to snicker at this, but by the time she fumbling to the point of humiliation, the class was hysterical with laughter. The only two people who didn't laugh, were Akane ( who sat silently in the back of the class), and Ranma who smacked his forehead and shook his head. Suddenly, everyone stopped laughing to see a young man with black hair, and glinting brown eyes, stoop down and helped Ranko with her books. He picked them up, and handed them to her neatly.
"Here you are," he said to her. Ranko would have turned redder if she could have, but she could onl take her books, bow, and go into the hall in humiliation.
"Who are you?" the teacher said angrily. The boy looked up and scratched his head.
"Hey! That's-" Akan started.
"Yep, it Ryouga," Ranma said, slightly horror struck to see him.
"Uh, I'm Ryouga Hibiki. I'm sorry, I got lost. Can you tell me how to get out of here?" Ryoga asked.
"No! You are disrupting class!" the teacher yelled. Ryoga blinked and bowed.
"Sorry, I'm leave," he said, exiting the room. Ranma suddenly stood up.
"Hey Ryouga! How did you get lost in a school building?! You arn't even suppose to be in here in the first place!" Ranma screamed from the back of the class.
"Ranma! Go stand in the hall! Geez! You Saotome's cause so much trouble!" the teacher said a angrily. Ranma sighed, and went into the hall. Ranko looked up, drying her eyes.
"Ranko! You are making me look like an idiot!" Ranma hissed when Ryouga had closed to door behind him. Ranko looked at him sadly.
"How so?" Ranko asked quietly.
"Oh, Just never mind! You wouldn't understand!" he said harshly, swinging around, and picking up a water bucket, that sat outside the class room.
"Hey Ranma! You're so crule! What gives you the right to treat anyone like this?!" Ryouga snapped angrily.
"Oh come on! Don't I have enough people mad at me today! Akane, Kuno, Ranko-"
"I'm not mad at you,"Ranko said quietly looking up.
"Oh yeah? Well the way you were hanging all over Kuno, youd think something was up," Ranma snapped. Suddenly, something clicked in Ryoga's head.
"Hey! Wait a minute! Arn't you...Ranma?" he said pointing at Ranko. Ranko looked up at him, and shook her head.
"Not anymore." Ryoga blinked and scratched his head.
"Ranma, do explain," Ryoga said turning to Ranma. Ranma sighed.
"It all started a month ago..."
~ ~ ~ ~
"Huh? Mousse? What are you doing here?" Ranma said in shock to see Mousse grinning happily, and strolling into Ukyo's Okonomiyaki's shop. He sat down at the counter and ordered a spinach okonomyaki. This was odd, since Mousse could just eat at the Cat Cafe for free, and since he worked there, it was no problem. It was also weird, since Mousse had never even set foot in the Okonomiyaki shop, and he was acting like it was perfectly natural. Mousse looked over at Ranma, the happy smirk still lingering across his face.
"Oh, I just found out some amazing news from the old, dried-up monkey," Mousse said casually, leaning on the counter. At this remark, Ranma half expected the old bat to come bounding in on her staff, and start beating Mousse over the head. He blinked and turned up his nose.
"Who Cologne? Humph! Well if it came from her, it con't have much use to me, unless it's something i will find out in the near future. It's probably some new tactic Shampoo has for trying to get me to marry her," Ranma said snootily.
"Saotome, how dare you speak of Shampoo in such an ill tone," Mousse said, his voice enraged. Suddenly, he bit his lip and calmed down.
"I must restrain myself," Mousse said quietly. Then he threw up his hands and said, "besides, it's my gain and your loss anyways. That's right Ranma, it didn't have to do with Shampoo, but mainly the horrid curse I have." Mousse smirked to see Ranma perk up.
"Your curse? Is she getting you contacts?" Ranma asked as Mousse fell over.
"No! You idiot! My curse is that i turn into a duck!" Mousse hollored at Ranma.
"Oh? What about it?" Ranma asked nonchalantly. Mousse knew it was trying to come in for the kill.
"Well, the old bat told me how to get rid of it. So that mean if I use it properly, I will never turn into a duck again. Ever." Mousse said his voice sinking into Ranma's skull. Ranma gasped and looked at him in shock, before he jumped on Mousse, and grabbed the neck on his shirt.
"Tell me! Tell me what that old bat told you!!" Ranma said tugging on Mousse's collar. Mousse smirked.
"Why should I help you? All you've done is made my life miserable," Mousse said calmly. Ranma's eyes bulged.
"Me?! Make your life miserable?! You sonavabitch! All I do is walk by you and, you attack me! You should be helping me as a debt!" Ranma shouted in rage, twisting Mousse's collar slightly. Mousse frowned and shoved Ranma off of him.
"Hah! You have been try to steal my dear Shampoo from me for years! Can't you see-"
"No can't YOU see! Shampo has been glomping me since she first arrived, without my consent. But then again, i shouldn't expect you to know that since you're blinder then a bat," Ranma said darkly. Mousse frowned.
"That is so untrue!!" Mousse shouted.
"Actually, it is true Mousse," Ukyo said angrily flipping his okinomiyaki, "that little bitch has been annoying Ran-chan all this time. t's not his fault that the bitch won't leave him alone."
"DON'T CALL HER A BITCH!!" Mousse yelled. Suddenly, someone enter the shop.
"Don't call who bitch, Mousse?" Shampoo asked as she entered, "Mousse should no be using such language. It bad. Very very bad."
"Shampoo!" Mousse shouted in glee. But as he was about to embrace her, she spotted Ranma, and glomped him happily. Mousse turned around in circles a couple of times, before he saw Shampoo hanging off of Ranma.
"Now do you believe me Mousse?" Ranma said in an annoyed voice. Mousse frowned in disgust.
"Shampoo is merely fixated on you," Mousse said feircely. Shampoo glared at him.
"Mousse you go to cafe`!! Great-grandmother want to see you!! Leave Shampoo alone in her happiness," she said angrily. Mousse looked shocked, but then looked down sadly. Nodding, he left the shop silently. Ranma suddnly ran after him.
"Oh no you don't! If the old bat wants you, it might be abou t the curse! I'm coming too!" Ranma said chasing after Mousse until his pace fell into line with his. Shampoo slid off of Ranma and gazed up at him.
"Ranma! Some silly curse more important to you then Shampoo?" she said in a hurt voice.
"You're damn skippy!" Ranma said as he walk along with Mousse.
That was the first time Shampoo ever felt the rejection that Ranma felt for her.
"Granny! Hey Granny!" Ranma said walking up to the wrinkled up old woman. Cologne looked up at Ranma.
"Ah! Son-in-law! How good of you to drop by! Did you come by to ask for Shampoo?" Cologne asked in glee. Ranma frowned.
"Hell no! I wanted to know about this way to get rid of the curse!" Ranma shouted at her. Cologne glared at Mousse.
"Mousse, when i said you could have the medicine, i didn't mean you could blab it to the first person you saw!"
"Hey, look! You promised to tell me, so cough up how to stop turning into a duck!"
"Alright alright!" Cologne sighed, "I'll tell you. There is only one way to get rid of the curse you bare, and that is to take this..." Cologne handed him a bag of green powder. Ranma gaped.
"Hey! I want some! Give me some!" Ranma shouted. Cologne sighed.
"Son-in-law, stop shouting. Aright, you may have some..." she handed ran a pouch as well. Ranma flipped open the pouch and was about to pour the powder down his throat when Cologne stopped him
"Son-in-law! Stop! You can't take it like that! if you do, it will do nothing for you!" Ranma growled.
"So then what do I do, Granny!"
"You must place this powder in a cup of warm wter, with ice cubes in it. Then, you must swallow the wholething, icecubes and all. Understood?" Cologne asked them. Ranma nodded.
"Alright! Now I can stop being a girl, forever!" With that, he ran back to the tendo's.
"Get out of my way, pervert!" Akane screamed at Ranma when he was in her way in the hall. Ranma nodded slightly.
"Oh, sorry about that Akane...." Ranma said in a hypnotic voice. He stepped aside.
"Huh Ranma? Are you feeling okay?" Akane asked.
"Of course Akane, what would make you think that i'm not?" Ranma asked in the same hypnotic voice.
"Ranma...you're scaring me," Akane said taking a step away from him.
"Sorry Akane, I didn't mean to scare you..." Ranma said as he walked away to the kitchen. Akane's face filed with worry.
"Ranma.....what's gotten in to him? He seem almost nice...." Akane said quietly. She then proceeded to follow him to the kitchen to ask him what was up. suddenly, she heard Ranma chuckling. Akane stopped and peeped in. There he was, laughing sinisterly, and pouring some warm water into a glass.
"Heheheheheh....good-bye girl form....heheheheh..." he snickered as he put in the ice cubes. Akane raised an eyebrow.
"What the? Ice cubes in warm water? He has gone mad!" But that was when she saw the green powder being poured into the glass. Ranma didn't evn bother stirring or waiting. With a huge grin on his face, he said, "Good-bye Ran-chan!" and dumped the whole glass of water in his mouth, swallowing the ice cubes whole. Ranma closed his eyes and shivered as the ice cubed banged against the inside of his throat. Suddenly, he gagged and fell to the foor. Akane screamed and ran to his side.
"Ranma! Ranma! What's happening to you? Ranma!" Akane screamed. Ranma groaned, and looked up at her. And for the first time in a long time, anma smiled at her. It was weak, but true. He raised a hand and touched her cheek.
"Don't worry about me....Akane....everything is gonna be.....just fine now....."the he groaned loudly. Suddenly, a flash of green light appeared around Ranma, and from his chest, came a ghostly figure of a girl. Akane gasped. The girl was Ran-chan. The ghost Ran-chan landed lightly beside Ranma. The green light faded from them, and left in the place of the ghostly ran-chan, ws Ran-chan herself. Akane stepped back.
"B-but how?" Suddenly, Ranma groaned and woke upfrom his painful state. His eyes lit up and he ran to the sink, where he proceeded to dumped cold water over his head. He looked at himslef in glee.
"I-it worked! It actually worked!" Ranma shouted. Leaping around the room, he grasped Akane's hands and jumped up and down. Akane gave him a sad look.
"Ranma...what is going on?" she asked him.
"I got rid of it! I finally got rid of it!" he shouted in glee.
"Got rid of what?!" Akane screamed at him.
"My curse! My curse it gone!" Ranma said smiling huge and still jumping around.
"But ranma....isn't that....?" akane fell silent and pointed to the girl. Ranma stopped jumping around instantly, and the moment his eyes fell upon her, his happy smile faded.
"B-but i thought i got rid of.... no....t-this isn't happening! This another dream! Another fucking dream!" he shouted slamming his fist into the wall. Akane grabbed his arms.
"Ranma! This isn't a dream! This is serious! Now what did you take!" she screamed at him. Ranma looked down.
"The old bat found out a way to cure my curse....so she gave me the stuff.." ranma fell silent, "what is going on Akane? What is happening...." Akane wrapped her arms around him. As soon as she did,she wanted to pull away from her sudden insanity, but she couldn't do it, because Ranma had started to shake, as he forced back his tears.The girl suddenly sat up, her eyes shut tight. After sitting there for about two seconds, she opened her two big, blue, alert eyes. She looked around, very new, very naive, so sweet....
"Um excuse me, who are you?" Akane asked her. The girl looked and Akane, a big smile on her face.
"I'm Ranko! Who are you?"
~~~~~
"....and that is how Ranko came into this world." Ranko had silent the whole time, not moving, just looking down. Ryoga looked at Ranko.
"So, you arn't Ranma?" he asked her.
"No..I'm Ranko Saotome," she said, a depressed feeling hanging over her. Suddenly, Kuno came out of the room, his eye staring intensly at the three of them.
"Saotome! What do you think- Pigtailed maiden! Ranko! How lovely to see you again my love!" he said in surprise. Ranko looked up at him. Ranma sighed in frustration. He could tell already it was going to be a long day....