Nerima was a fun place, full of acrobatics and martial artists decorating the streets with colorful moves . But not since that day.
Many looked for that lost person who would ask the obvious. "Where am I now?", "is this Nerima?" Most people would call him distracted, but they always smiled at the boy with a heart big enough to help the needy. Same went for those who really knew him, Ukyo's shop had a light by the window, and it's owner would peek from it trying to make sure that shadow with a backpack showed. . .She was expecting him by the door, exhausted, ragged and begging for food; but it didn't happen. It would never happen again.
The Neko-hanten look the same with the only difference that an old woman on a pogo stick would walk out of the place more often than before. She knew something was amiss, In all her years, she learned to adapt and understand forces beyond to the human ability, and she was certain someone was looking for something. . . . .but who?
Her great-grand-daughter looked tired, not from work or deliveries, but for the incessant reminder that she couldn't stop him; the one person stronger and nicest she ever met before. She regretted not getting to know him better, maybe she could have done something about his well-being, if only. . . . . .
The master of hidden weapons never meet him long enough to call him a friend, but there were occasions he was a good ally, if for anything else, to the demise of Saotome. He simply bowed to the boy, and went on his own business.
On the Tendou residence the atmosphere changed drastically. The family mourned the lost boy as he was their own flesh, Kasumi was the girl nothing could phase her, but this time she just worked quiet and solemn. You could hear sobs now and then, but the girl would stop, breathe and go on her daily routine.
The middle Tendou gave on many lucrative deals, the gambling feeling was there, but the drive was lost after a dear boy in her life vanished for no fair reason. She teased him, but she respected him, even . . . .loved him as a brother. After that thought, she plummeted to the floor in a crying heap.
Akane Tendo was inconsolable, she was suffering the most on the family. She knew of the boy's feelings, but did nothing. She just pretended and left all unsaid, expecting time would cure-all wounds, but she was mistaken, and end up paying a price too high for her to face. No fanged smiles, no more protector from that annoying fiancée. . . ."him" . . .her thought took her to him, the other guy in this twisted turn of events. The one who started it all.
The youngest Tendou rushed upstairs in a fit of rage, nothing could console her, but someone would pay for her new hell. The girl arrived to the guest room, and knocked desperately at it. "Ranma get out of there. . .help me with this pain. . .I can't fight it!" But no response was given. Silence marked the new trend between the two, she knew the pigtailed boy had his own hell to deal with, maybe a worse one she had endured, so she left sobbing and leaving tears behind her trail.
The room was dark, no light could invade the depressing ambiance fogging a lost martial artist in the sea of defeat and failure. His father tried to pry him away from the room, even his fiancée, and family tried, but to no avail. He did what he had never done before in his life. . .he was crying. Long and pained sobs danced around his self in a mocking way, telling him the one he lost was more than a friend. He was his soul mate, perhaps not in a romantic form, but he was his half, his brother. . . .The only thing he could do was hold in tight to his backpack and heavy umbrella, while holding an old and wore bandanna on his hand. "Why Ryo? why did you do that?. . .we could've . . .you are my brother, my friend beyond friendship . . .If I just . . ." But his whispering words left him with no one to hear. He kept crying and sobbing on that dark room. . . .nothing but darkness and him.
Time seemed to stop, the boy looked everywhere, but nothing but fog surrounded him, a thick fog obstructing his line of sight to where he was walking. Then darkness fell on him, darkness unlike he ever saw before. He had his days on the mountains where no light, no moon or town lights could show him where he was, and this was even darker than those times.
When he began to shake, he realized there was nothing miles around, just fog and that dreaded dark curtain. "Am I dead? if so, what is this place?" The boy contemplated his past acts with a new light, a clearer mind. "I know I slit myself, so this must be hell . . .I think. But I couldn't stop. . .I tried to stop, I swear." Yelled the boy expecting some demons or evil beings would come and take him away for the terrible thing he did in the end; but nothing could be seen.
In the distance, without being able to reach because of the fog, Ryoga heard a whisper, like a voice carried by the wind. "This is not hell, my dear. . . . .you're trapped by someone who doesn't want to let go. . . . ."
"What is this place? why the fog and the darkness. . .I know what I did was unforgiving, but I didn't mean it. . .something . . .a feeling beyond my will overtook me. . .all I saw was pain, and hurt. . .If I could go back . . .but I can't. . . " His shouts became frenzied, he was hoping to reach this voice, a voice that sounded female.
The boy's frantic behavior began to affect all around him. He felt the depression crawl as a snake trying to strangle him, and in a desperate move, he focused all his energy and shouted "SHISHI HOUKODAN!" But nothing happened, no blast and no depression gone. . .it kept crawling and trying to drown him making him feel at the end of his rope.
"You want to act like in the other place, but you have no body. You can't create energy, or Ki so just give up. . . .let go of those feelings. . .you see. . .the most prominent perception on life is what you bring with you in death. If I'm happy in life, I will feel rewarded in here. . .at peace."
The lost boy simply laughed at the observation. "Than I'm dead twice. . .all I brought with me was depression and negative feelings. . .there is nothing but hell for me, on that life and on this one." He began to let go, and the crawling serpent reached his throat. When everything was said and done, the voice spoke again.
"Not everything is sadness and depression on you. . .I sense something else. . .love?. . .love for someone special in your past life. . .yes! . . .hold on that, make it your own, use it as drive and will. . . . "
Ryoga finally remembered the reason of his ordeal. . . .that beautiful face, with those pretty blue eyes and red fiery hair. "Yes I remember. . .Ranma. . . .Ranma! ! !" The snake cursed while being pulled away from the boy, it's job was not done, but soon it would strike. . .sooner or later depression crawls on you. . . .
The negative feelings lifted from the boy, no more fog keeping him from his destination, but the darkness was still there, although this felt like a different dark, a more sad, but he could reach; almost touch the edges of it. . . .like if he was in a room. From no where a column of light appeared before him, when he got near it, the light gave him peace. . .He walked towards.
"I'm happy you have found your path once again, I wish you the best Hibiki Ryoga." Finished the voice, word by word was heard more distant, like moving away from the girl who guided him to the light. When the boy finally reached the light's base, he tried to touch it, but something held him back, he heard another voice coming from within that room, at first low, but becoming stronger.
"Why Ryo? why did you do that?. . .we could've . . .you are my brother, my friend beyond friendship . . .If I just . . . ."
"I must help him. . .he is in trouble. . .all because of me. . .I must. . ." Ryoga walked away from the light and to the room sized darkness resolved to appease his friend, and crush. Nothing would stop him, he was needed. When he was about to reach the room, the voice who guided him before was heard again. "No. . .what have you done. . . .you just lost your chance to pass to a better place. . . .why did you came back?"
The boy smiled and shared his answer in no direction in particular. "All my life was a mess and wrong choices, but he was always on my side. . .deep down I knew that. . . .If he needs me. .I'll be there for him." And kept on walking. The girl's voice stopped and you could feel her smile. "great, I won't be alone anymore."
When Ryoga entered that room full of darkness, he was able to make out a form, that form was sitting on the floor firmly grasping something between its hands. When he got closer, he noticed a pigtail on the now male shadow, and saw his backpack being held by that shadow.
"How? . . .How can I see him, and moved away from the light so easily?" The voice spoke once more, this time sounding more friendly than before. "He doesn't want to give you up. . . .He's still holding on to you. . .see your property at his side? . . .that's the object pulling you to him."
Ryoga chuckled at the sight. His most feared enemy resting in a heap, crying and sobbing for him. He tried to make it look funny, but his essence, with no body or tears, began to shake again. He rushed to his side and held him as best his ethereal form would allow it.
"Ranma, rest. . . .I'm sorry, I really am. . . .I wanted to stop when I saw you're beautiful face. . .during that amazing kiss, but it was done. . . .and I was beyond my will to stop it." When he closed his eyes and concentrated, Ranma raised his own, and looked around, while whispering.
". . . . .Ryoga? . . . ."
The bandanna boy jumped when their eyes met, they were looking at each other, Ryoga felt a blush and wondered if he could see him. The voice told him that the boy could feel his presence, but he couldn't see him. She spoke to the boy in a serious way.
"Ryoga. . .do you have any idea the kind of hell you are about to unleash by being here?. . .since you rejected the light tunnel, you are stuck and belong to this house, you've become a restless spirit condemned to exist in this plane. . .not from life or in death. . . .you will remind them of yourself, and they will keep you alive with their thoughts. . .any of you won't be able to move on."
The boy smiled again and turned to where he believe the voice was coming from. "I don't care. . .They are my family. . .Akane is my sister, and Ranma is my friend and platonic lover. . . .this is my heaven. . ."
Weeks passed, as the memory slowly washed away on that district. Men went to their jobs, women to their chores and children to school. everything went back to normal, even in those lives the lost boy affected on a closer way.
Everyone went on their regular way, all except the Tendous. The family changed drastically with time, Nabiki returned to her business as usual but she became fair in her deals, more honor bound.
Kasumi started to talk to herself, as if someone was on her side at all times. Maybe she could feel him and used that fact to share family complaints and daily news that would happen in Nerima.
Akane looked more at peace, but she wasn't able to look Ranma in the face anymore, they became friendlier, and the fights stopped. They turned to each other for solace, and people could see them as a couple . . .a very serious couple. No yelling or mallets appeared from that moment on.
Ranma was the most changed. He seemed quiet, reserved and kept to himself. There was no more walk on top of the fence, or annoying remarks to anyone passing by him, either friend or foe.
His school grades raised steadily, and he could be seen as an example of a well-mannered person. Everything shared a personal feeling of seriousness, respectable people would strive to stay close to him. But deep down, he was in pain. . .pain that left nothing for his fiancée. . .keeping her away from his heart.
When the boy reached Ukyo's shop, he went in, and met the sad form his long childhood friend portrayed. She welcomed him and set a table aside the rest of the patrons. After Konatsu took care of the clients, Ukyo join the pigtailed boy. "Ran-chan . . . .how are you holding up? It's been almost two months, you should feel better . .shouldn't you?"
The boy looked between his friend and his food, and tears leaked his eyes. "I can't Ucchan. . .I am tryin' but I just can't. . . .I feel him in my room. Like he's attached to me, and is driving me crazy."
Ukyo didn't expect this answer, no wonder the boy was a mess in the inside, while acting with a dead expression in the outside. "Tell me sugar, how is that possible? He was my friend too, but I don't feel that strong connection. . . .say . . .did you have strong feelings for him?"
The pigtailed boy blushed, and look to the side. "I may have some feelings for him. . .but I'm a guy, and I must be a man among men. . .I can't think that way. . .if I did, I would let everyone down. . .Akane's, Pops, and even mom. . .What I did while he was alive it was for real. . .a real kiss, I was willing to put everything on the line as long as I could save him, but . . .I failed."
"Ranma, when he was depressed, he came to me, he was ashamed that you would see him so down. . .he really cared for you. And when he was depressed beyond the limits of his resistance, he visited Shampoo's grand mother. Why don't we go see her? she might know something about it."
Ranma felt a pang on his chest, the need to understand why he felt that way, and the old ghoul would be the one capable to do that. Konatsu reassured Ukyo the shop was in good hands, so the pair went to the Neko-hanten, when they arrived there was no parade, and there was no annoying Chinese girl calling him Airen or jumping at him. "Son in law, I knew you would come. . .eventually."
Ranma walked in the restaurant, but the woman kept guiding the to the back of it, to another, more secluded room. "Tell me Ranma, at what do I owe this honor?" The boy sat opposite of the old woman, so she was able to see his stricken face swollen from crying. Ranma didn't care anymore, he was tired of pretending. "Elder. . .I . .I-I still feel him. . .I can't stop sensing him close by me, and He feels alone, like a child lost and afraid. Am i goin' crazy?"
The amazon elder regarded the boy stressed, he was passing for a moment of anguish, but the problem was, that happened months back, why couldn't he let go? "Son, There are some stories from brave warriors that upon dying, manage to come back. They have told me that when family don't let go of the warrior, she is compelled to stray from the path, and if it's on time the warrior moves back to her body. . . .Tell me child. Do you have anything that belongs to Ryoga?"
The pigtailed boy grabbed the table with both hands, trying to not let go of it, and grasping it as hard as he could. "Yes I got all his stuff in my room. The backpack, the umbrella, and . . .I got his bandanna on my packet at all times. . . why? What does that have to do with anythin' ?"
The old woman took her pipe and began to puff at it. "Ranma, have you heard of "trigger objects" ? they are property of the deceased, that became strong part on his life, things that were present on his daily living. . .with time; those objects 'absorb' the energy of their owner, and when he dies, if someone dear to him holds those items, the spirit won't be able to cross over.
Ranma and Ukyo blanched at the implication Cologne explained. Ranma in particular felt that answer was what he looked for. "Fine, maybe he's around, than how can I talk to him? I want to . ."
"Son in law, you are holding him back if that's the case. He is trapped. Imagine for a moment a place where no one can see you, or talk to you. A place where you are making them remember you by staying close to them, and by remembering you. . . .you can't move on."
Ranma knew that was his case, and he had to do something about it. "What do I do? how can I help him cross over?" The old geezer looked down, appalled at her next response. "Ranma, you could burn all his belongings, but. . .I'm afraid he might be stuck a lot longer now.'
"Why Cologne, tell me what's goin' on?" Ranma felt that same pang again, he didn't want to believe that he cheated his friend from happiness all over again by holding him.
"Son, in the stories mentioned by those warriors, some told me they were able to see a tunnel, a light tunnel and they were called to it. They remembered leaving that light so they could go back to where they were needed. When they did that, they felt lost while getting away from it. They feared the dark and agonizing feeling of staying in that place, right before being pulled into their bodies, would drown them and bury them with no hope for escape."
Ranma bowed and began to cry, tears that made the elder cringe in pain, and sadness. Ukyo held him close, and rubbed his back, she had no idea what to do to comfort him. "Ran-chan please cheer up. . .you are the stronger of the both of us. Please endure. . .we'll find a way . .I promise."