Ranma ½ Fanfiction
By Ranko-chan
Desperation
Part Two
Then There Was The Challenge
Chapter Two
Friends From Unusual Places
Disclaimer- No I don't own them.
"Ranma my boy, it takes work to learn some things."
"I know, and that os what I have been doing for the past six months. I am not quite understanding you old man. I want to learn this attack, even though you won't tell me what in the hell it actually is. I want to learn, and I am willing, but I have spent a lot of time here, and I need to move on, I still haven't found Akane yet."
The old man was silent. They had this conversation many times before. It was when he got to the part about him finding the girl that worried him so. The girl was a distraction, that he had thought that time would break. But he knew that it was time that he moved on with the training, Ranma was ready, he would have to forget about the girl though, there could be NO distractions. He couldn't just let Ranma go.
"Ranma, I know that you want to find her, and I have told you that I am trying to help you. This attack will aid you, but I am going to have to ask you to do something for me, if we are to continue."
"What is it?"
'Blah, blah, blah, he never shuts up.' Ranma thought.
"You need to have a clear head, I think that you are going to have to forget about her, for the training."
Ranma was silent. He had started this journey, for Akane, how could he just forget about her like that.
'I could never forget . . .'
"I can't."
The man sighed. He was afraid that something like this might happen.
"Ranma, if you do not have a clear mind, then you cannot proceed with the training."
"I DO have a clear mind."
'Maybe.' he thought. 'Maybe you do, but what if you don't?'
"Since I cannot convince you otherwise, and since you are the only one that I trust enough to teach this to, and have already come so far, I will agree to try and teach you. Your training, starts at sunrise tomorrow."
'As if I haven't been training already. Its all bull-shit.'
"Thank you Sansai."
'For the sake of politeness old man.'
***********
Muts Su traveled for many days. He didn't stop much, only to sleep, and to eat a meal. He had to find his friend, and he had to somehow get him to come to the village at the proper time. He didn't know what Ranma would do when he found Akane there. All that he knew was that Ranma and Akane needed to be together. He also knew that something terrible happened to Akane, and that Ranma needed to know about it. But the problem with all of this was, that now that Akane was part of the tribe, he couldn't tell Ranma, and outsider, about her. He would just have to get him to the village to see for himself. He had not left China, since he was sure that it was the first place Ranma would look. He had stopped at a few Dojo's and had asked about Ranma, and if anyone had seen or heard of someone like him. He was waiting, for a nibble, he knew that Ranma was one of a kind, and that if he had been somewhere that, they would remember, so he traveled. He asked around, hoping that something would be uncovered one day. Then one day the line got a BIG bite.
"You say that you were looking for someone."
"Yes, he is a boy about my age, and he is VERY skilled. He was looking for a girl."
"Yes I do know where he is." "You do?"
"Yes I sent him to Komott just about two weeks walk from here. To meet a man named Tomijorera Jematsu. He was a friend of mine, that was very skilled. The boy was also training. If you need to find him, he should be there."
"Thank you very much. How can I ever repay you?"
'Finally. Maybe my luck has turned for the best.'
"It is nothing. Tell him that I give my greetings and blessings."
"I will."
He had traveled to where the monk had said. He had traveled fast. He had been traveling for two months and three weeks when he had found out about Ranma's location. It was a two week walk, but he walked it in eight days.
When he arrived there, the villagers pointed to a valley. He walked there, and in a clearing in the woods on top of a hill was a small hut. Out of its chimney rose a small column of smoke.
He wanted to go right up there and knock on the door, but then it occurred to him that Ranma might not be there. Ranma did learn quickly, he could already be long gone.
He decided that he would wait.
*******
"Ranma, wake up it is time to head out."
"Ok."
Ranma got grudgingly out of his futon. He hated mornings. He wished that they had never been invented. The sun should shoot up into the middle of the sky and wake everyone up at twelve. He ran his fingers through his bangs, and went and splashed his face with some water, and brushed his teeth. He watched the old man stir the soup on the stove, and wondered what it was that gave it such an odd smell.
"So, what is it today?"
"That is a good question, but stop being such a lazy boy, you should be able to see with your inner eye what it is."
Ranma groaned, training so early in the morning hurt his head. But he did as he was told, and focused on the soup.
"It is broth, with rice and honey."
"Close, but there is something else."
His eyes shut. He didn't smell it, he knew that doing that was futile. He thought about the room, and the bowl, almost bidding the bowl to say what it contained.
"Trout."
"Very good. Lets go outside."
"Ok."
************
Muts Su watched them exit, but he didn't want to interrupt. He would follow them, and wait till they retired to talk to Ranma.
************
"Ranma, do you know that there is someone following us."
Ranma nodded. His eyes moved a little to the right, in a motion, as to where the stalker was coming from.
"Yes."
"Good, I had hoped that you would."
"What shall we do to him?"
Jematsu caught a smirk play across the boys face.
"Nothing just yet. But I was thinking, and it occurred to me that I do not know anyone who would follow us. Everyone in the village knows me, and well I don't really have any enemies."
"I do, but I don't think that anyone would be here." Ranma's smile turned into a look of bewilderment.
"We will see to him later. Right now we have to focus on your training."
"Yes sensai." Ranma payed the follower no more heed. ************
He had lost them, where were they. He had turned one corner, and they were gone.
He walked through the bushes.
"BOO!"
"AHHHHH!!"
"MOUSE!"
"AHHHHH!!" Continued.
"What are you doing here Mouse!" Ranma almost took the duck boy by the collar of his shirt and threw him into the ground, but he controlled his anger.
'Mouse, of all people.' Ranma thought.
"AHHHHH!!"
*slap*
"What did you do that for Jematsu?" Ranma had enjoyed seeing him scared out of his wits, it gave him something to rack him about later.
"You scared him, he was in shock."
"Oh, ya."
'NO DAH!' Ranma thought.
"You know this boy, is he your friend?"
"Well sort of."
'Was he my friend?' A look of puzzlement was readable on Ranma's features.
"Well then lets us see what he wants, bring him back with us." The old man left the boy for Ranma to carry. He just started to walk off to the hut.
"Kay."
'Thankfully for me, it is only a mile back to the hut.' Ranma picked up the other boy and started after the old man. ***********
The hut was small inside, but it was warm and almost cozy. Mouse found himself on a futon, when he awoke and didn't remember where and why he was there, but then he saw Ranma.
"Ranma." Mouse looked groggily at Ranma.
"Mouse, what are you doing here? If I had know it was you I wouldn't have scared ya like that."
'Well I might have but not like that.'Ranma snickered to himself. He was quite pleased that he had been able to scare the duck boy out of his skin.
'I must be getting better, or Mouse has gotten worse.'
'He seems so happy considering the circumstances. I had thought that he would be a little depressed about it still.' Mouse thought.
"Well I was looking for you, and a monk told me where to find you, and I came here, but I didn't know if you were still here, seeing that he hadn't seen you in three months. I waited, and when I saw you I didn't want to interrupt your training, so I followed you I was going to talk to you when you quit your day."
'I want to lead you to Akane.' Mouses face was unreadable.
"Oh, well we knew that you were there, I didn't know it was YOU though. Sorry about the scare, I didn't think that it would scare you that bad. Well, this is Jematsu, my sensai." 'You are here, after all of this time, because you all of a sudden wanted to look for me? Why didn't you start to travel with me months ago? You really have strange ways Mouse.'
"Hello."
'His Sensai?' Mouse thought, as he put on a cheerful face for the greeting.
"Hello."
"Jematsu, this is Mouse."
"Muts Su, please."
'I don't mind that Ranma will never say my name right, but I won't have him teaching it wrongly to others.'
"Ya whatever." 'Since when has he complained about that?'
"Are you an Amazon?"
'He looks like an amazon, the long hair gives it away.'
"Well, my mother is, but they don't normally refer to men as an Amazon, but yes I guess I am."
'How did he know?'
"Ranma you have quite interesting friends."
'The boy never fails to surprise me.'
"Tell me about it." 'Strange, that isn't even close old man.'
"How did you know about me?" Mouse was quite curious.
"I use to be an Amazon, I knew the Su dynasty, I married a Su."
"Really?!" both boys exclaimed.
"Yes, many a time ago."
Ranma knew that this line, meant that it was something that the old man would talk about no further. Rather than waste time however, he decided that he would change the subject.
"So Mouse, why did you come here? I mean, why are you looking for me?"
' I really wanted to know more about the old man, but . . . '
"Actually. I was looking, because, well Ranma in truth you are the only friend I have. Well Shan Pu kicked me out, and I wanted to help you find Akane. I went home and spent some needed time with my mother. Then I decided that I would find you."
'Why? I have been searching for all of this time now, why start the fight now, when it has already been in motion for so long?' Ranma's face was shadowed as he looked into the darkness of the hut.
"Well, I appreciated it, but I don't see how you can help. I have been searching. I am learning a new technique, it will help the old man says."
"Ranma I would like to accompany you for the rest of your journey. I promise that I will not be a nuisance, and I won't get in your way, or interfere. I just want to travel with you."
'I will lead you to her, I can see the hurt in your eyes, even though you are hiding them from me.'
"Hay I ain't got no problem with it, it's the old man I think that will."
The two boys look to the old man.
"I would prefer the title, Sensai, or Jematsu. Ranma, you know what the rules are, is he going to be a distraction?"
"Naw. I think that I can work around him, as long as he doesn't bring up the touchy subjects."
'The touchy subjects, I won't even get to think about sleeping after tonight's little talk.'
"Well then Muts Su I welcome you to our humble abode." The old man didn't seem as happy as he had made his voice.
"Thank you Jematsu and Ranma."
'I hope that we can leave soon Ranma.'
(Break *two* hours later)
"So you visited the tribe you say?" Jematsu asked.
"Ya."
"So what's new with them?" Ranma was curious.
"Well Shan Pu has given up on you if that is what you meant."
'I knew he would ask eventually.'
"Wow! One down. Two more to go."
'If I had Akane sitting next to me, I think that I would have kissed her, had I heard such great news.' Ranma became disheartened.
Mouse looked at him through the side of his eye, he hadn't expected that reaction.
"I think that Ukyou will step down as soon as she finds out that you love Akane. I mean, that is if she hasn't found out already." 'Maybe that would cheer him up a little.'
Ranma still didn't reply after a few long moments of silence.
The old man to the rescue.
"So Ranma who are some of these people? You haven't told me about any of them."
"Well to do that I would have to tell you my whole life story."
"I think we have time, we quit early today."
"Well . . ."
Mouse was happy to see that the very disturbing look in Ranma's eyes had diminished to a look of broken hope, but he wanted to make him feel a little better. "Oh come on Ranma, tell him about your travels in China, does he know about your curse?"
"Thanks Mouse, for spilling the beans, if fact I haven't changed yet in front of him, he isn't like Happousai, who purposely splashes me."
"What are you talking about Ranma, a curse?" Jematsu was quite freaked out by such words as curse, spell, and magic.
"See what you've done Mouse, you've scared him!" Ranma looked at Mouse with a glare that was lacking the emotion that Mouse was use to seeing in Ranma's eyes.
*laughter* *more laughter* *bonk*
"It ain't funny!"
'This was more like the Ranma that he remembered.'
"I'm sorry, I mean, he doesn't know, that's what's so funny. I mean, back home, well you were always changing."
"I know, it has bugged me too. Anyway, let me explain before he does something rash. Jematsu, I have a Jesyenkyo curse. Do you know what that is, or do I have to explain that too?"
"Of course I know I was an Amazon wasn't I?"
"Yes."
"What do you change into?" "The mighty reading mind guy that is teaching me hasn't figured that one out yet either Mouse! Wow! Two points for me tonight old man." Ranma laughed out loud, the slightest of smiles creeping onto his face.
"I change into a girl. Laugh if you will but that is what it is, couldn't help it if even if I wished too."
*silence*
"Ranma, is he OK?"
"Ya, he doesn't like surprises, they scare him, I learned that a while ago. If you manage to get him, he is really weird for the next few hours."
"Weird."
"Tell me about it."
"Ranma do you want to take a walk?"
'Me and you need to talk.'
"Sure, lets leave, the old man needs time to think about everything." 'Will you tell me the truth then? I keep getting this strange feeling, it is like you are hiding something.'
(Ranma and Mouse exit)
"So Mouse, is there some other reason why you are here, that you haven't told me? Is there something that you didn't want the old man to hear?"
"Well actually, no. I don't have any news that I haven't told you."
'Except that I want to tell you where Akane is, but I hope you will understand later, that I couldn't do it now.'
"Oh." Ranma seems thwarted.
"Why the sad face?"
'He seems so dismal and lonely.'
"Well I guess I had hoped when I saw you that you were going to bring me some good news. I thought that maybe that you knew something about Akane."
"Ya, I wish that I had some to give you, you are not yourself, and it shows."
" She just vanished. It haunts me. All of the time. I can't find her. I've been looking all of this time."
"You loved her didn't you."
'Haunts you? I am so sorry Ranma.'
"Mouse, I was blind then. I wish I hadn't been, maybe you and I wouldn't be standing here. Maybe if I had told her, then, well maybe then I could sleep."
"It wasn't your fault. Anything could have happened."
"Ya, but we got into a fight, and she ran off. That was the last that I saw of her. No one will ever know how much that hurts Mouse. You will never know. Shan Pu might reject you, but at least you see her every day, and you know she is safe at this very moment, but Mouse, I don't know, I don't and that fear consumes me."
Ranma had turned away, and was now sitting cross legged on the ground.
"So Mouse, you just came to come, if that makes any sense?"
"Ya that is sort of it. Ranma, like I said you are all I have. I have always liked you, and have wanted to be your friend. But I was blind too. I think that now we are both ready to have a friendship, now we are different then before, and we need someone. Ranma, I would like to be your friend, dumb as that may sound."
'Friends?' They both thought.
"Naw, it aint' dumb. I think I would like to take you up on your offer, but there are a few things, for now that you can't bring up. Mouse, I am training, have been for six months or so. I need you to not talk about certain things. I need to stay focused on the training, so don't talk about home, or Akane. I can barely stay focused now, it is hard because each day I feel like I am putting her on the back burner, and that practically kills me. The old man told me that once I have learned this attack, I will be able to find Akane, no matter what."
"Whatever you say Ranma." "Thanks Mouse. I ow you."
"That's what friends are for right."
"Ya, they stick together, through thick and thin till the very end."
"Right."
Ranma got up, took Mouse's fist in his right hand and pulled him into an embrace.
"I am really glad that you have come, I was starting to think that everyone had forgotten about me."
End Chapter Two
Author Notes: TOO MUCH TALKING! There isn't enough emotion in this chapter. I hope that you all liked it. I don't but I want to move it on, I want to finish it. Ranma and Muts Su friends. Muts Su isn't telling him anything don't you all love me!!
Hay just a note to all of my readers, I have re-posted a Prologue that is in the beginning of Chapter one. It also contains a nice note to some readers that had asked for the Prologue. Hope that it clears everything up. Also, if you struggled through a certain part of the story because of grammar, I have also re-posted chapters 3-6. Twice mind you. I thought that had caught all of my errors, and then I realized that I hadn't.
Ranko-chan
By Ranko-chan
Desperation
Part Two
Then There Was The Challenge
Chapter Two
Friends From Unusual Places
Disclaimer- No I don't own them.
"Ranma my boy, it takes work to learn some things."
"I know, and that os what I have been doing for the past six months. I am not quite understanding you old man. I want to learn this attack, even though you won't tell me what in the hell it actually is. I want to learn, and I am willing, but I have spent a lot of time here, and I need to move on, I still haven't found Akane yet."
The old man was silent. They had this conversation many times before. It was when he got to the part about him finding the girl that worried him so. The girl was a distraction, that he had thought that time would break. But he knew that it was time that he moved on with the training, Ranma was ready, he would have to forget about the girl though, there could be NO distractions. He couldn't just let Ranma go.
"Ranma, I know that you want to find her, and I have told you that I am trying to help you. This attack will aid you, but I am going to have to ask you to do something for me, if we are to continue."
"What is it?"
'Blah, blah, blah, he never shuts up.' Ranma thought.
"You need to have a clear head, I think that you are going to have to forget about her, for the training."
Ranma was silent. He had started this journey, for Akane, how could he just forget about her like that.
'I could never forget . . .'
"I can't."
The man sighed. He was afraid that something like this might happen.
"Ranma, if you do not have a clear mind, then you cannot proceed with the training."
"I DO have a clear mind."
'Maybe.' he thought. 'Maybe you do, but what if you don't?'
"Since I cannot convince you otherwise, and since you are the only one that I trust enough to teach this to, and have already come so far, I will agree to try and teach you. Your training, starts at sunrise tomorrow."
'As if I haven't been training already. Its all bull-shit.'
"Thank you Sansai."
'For the sake of politeness old man.'
***********
Muts Su traveled for many days. He didn't stop much, only to sleep, and to eat a meal. He had to find his friend, and he had to somehow get him to come to the village at the proper time. He didn't know what Ranma would do when he found Akane there. All that he knew was that Ranma and Akane needed to be together. He also knew that something terrible happened to Akane, and that Ranma needed to know about it. But the problem with all of this was, that now that Akane was part of the tribe, he couldn't tell Ranma, and outsider, about her. He would just have to get him to the village to see for himself. He had not left China, since he was sure that it was the first place Ranma would look. He had stopped at a few Dojo's and had asked about Ranma, and if anyone had seen or heard of someone like him. He was waiting, for a nibble, he knew that Ranma was one of a kind, and that if he had been somewhere that, they would remember, so he traveled. He asked around, hoping that something would be uncovered one day. Then one day the line got a BIG bite.
"You say that you were looking for someone."
"Yes, he is a boy about my age, and he is VERY skilled. He was looking for a girl."
"Yes I do know where he is." "You do?"
"Yes I sent him to Komott just about two weeks walk from here. To meet a man named Tomijorera Jematsu. He was a friend of mine, that was very skilled. The boy was also training. If you need to find him, he should be there."
"Thank you very much. How can I ever repay you?"
'Finally. Maybe my luck has turned for the best.'
"It is nothing. Tell him that I give my greetings and blessings."
"I will."
He had traveled to where the monk had said. He had traveled fast. He had been traveling for two months and three weeks when he had found out about Ranma's location. It was a two week walk, but he walked it in eight days.
When he arrived there, the villagers pointed to a valley. He walked there, and in a clearing in the woods on top of a hill was a small hut. Out of its chimney rose a small column of smoke.
He wanted to go right up there and knock on the door, but then it occurred to him that Ranma might not be there. Ranma did learn quickly, he could already be long gone.
He decided that he would wait.
*******
"Ranma, wake up it is time to head out."
"Ok."
Ranma got grudgingly out of his futon. He hated mornings. He wished that they had never been invented. The sun should shoot up into the middle of the sky and wake everyone up at twelve. He ran his fingers through his bangs, and went and splashed his face with some water, and brushed his teeth. He watched the old man stir the soup on the stove, and wondered what it was that gave it such an odd smell.
"So, what is it today?"
"That is a good question, but stop being such a lazy boy, you should be able to see with your inner eye what it is."
Ranma groaned, training so early in the morning hurt his head. But he did as he was told, and focused on the soup.
"It is broth, with rice and honey."
"Close, but there is something else."
His eyes shut. He didn't smell it, he knew that doing that was futile. He thought about the room, and the bowl, almost bidding the bowl to say what it contained.
"Trout."
"Very good. Lets go outside."
"Ok."
************
Muts Su watched them exit, but he didn't want to interrupt. He would follow them, and wait till they retired to talk to Ranma.
************
"Ranma, do you know that there is someone following us."
Ranma nodded. His eyes moved a little to the right, in a motion, as to where the stalker was coming from.
"Yes."
"Good, I had hoped that you would."
"What shall we do to him?"
Jematsu caught a smirk play across the boys face.
"Nothing just yet. But I was thinking, and it occurred to me that I do not know anyone who would follow us. Everyone in the village knows me, and well I don't really have any enemies."
"I do, but I don't think that anyone would be here." Ranma's smile turned into a look of bewilderment.
"We will see to him later. Right now we have to focus on your training."
"Yes sensai." Ranma payed the follower no more heed. ************
He had lost them, where were they. He had turned one corner, and they were gone.
He walked through the bushes.
"BOO!"
"AHHHHH!!"
"MOUSE!"
"AHHHHH!!" Continued.
"What are you doing here Mouse!" Ranma almost took the duck boy by the collar of his shirt and threw him into the ground, but he controlled his anger.
'Mouse, of all people.' Ranma thought.
"AHHHHH!!"
*slap*
"What did you do that for Jematsu?" Ranma had enjoyed seeing him scared out of his wits, it gave him something to rack him about later.
"You scared him, he was in shock."
"Oh, ya."
'NO DAH!' Ranma thought.
"You know this boy, is he your friend?"
"Well sort of."
'Was he my friend?' A look of puzzlement was readable on Ranma's features.
"Well then lets us see what he wants, bring him back with us." The old man left the boy for Ranma to carry. He just started to walk off to the hut.
"Kay."
'Thankfully for me, it is only a mile back to the hut.' Ranma picked up the other boy and started after the old man. ***********
The hut was small inside, but it was warm and almost cozy. Mouse found himself on a futon, when he awoke and didn't remember where and why he was there, but then he saw Ranma.
"Ranma." Mouse looked groggily at Ranma.
"Mouse, what are you doing here? If I had know it was you I wouldn't have scared ya like that."
'Well I might have but not like that.'Ranma snickered to himself. He was quite pleased that he had been able to scare the duck boy out of his skin.
'I must be getting better, or Mouse has gotten worse.'
'He seems so happy considering the circumstances. I had thought that he would be a little depressed about it still.' Mouse thought.
"Well I was looking for you, and a monk told me where to find you, and I came here, but I didn't know if you were still here, seeing that he hadn't seen you in three months. I waited, and when I saw you I didn't want to interrupt your training, so I followed you I was going to talk to you when you quit your day."
'I want to lead you to Akane.' Mouses face was unreadable.
"Oh, well we knew that you were there, I didn't know it was YOU though. Sorry about the scare, I didn't think that it would scare you that bad. Well, this is Jematsu, my sensai." 'You are here, after all of this time, because you all of a sudden wanted to look for me? Why didn't you start to travel with me months ago? You really have strange ways Mouse.'
"Hello."
'His Sensai?' Mouse thought, as he put on a cheerful face for the greeting.
"Hello."
"Jematsu, this is Mouse."
"Muts Su, please."
'I don't mind that Ranma will never say my name right, but I won't have him teaching it wrongly to others.'
"Ya whatever." 'Since when has he complained about that?'
"Are you an Amazon?"
'He looks like an amazon, the long hair gives it away.'
"Well, my mother is, but they don't normally refer to men as an Amazon, but yes I guess I am."
'How did he know?'
"Ranma you have quite interesting friends."
'The boy never fails to surprise me.'
"Tell me about it." 'Strange, that isn't even close old man.'
"How did you know about me?" Mouse was quite curious.
"I use to be an Amazon, I knew the Su dynasty, I married a Su."
"Really?!" both boys exclaimed.
"Yes, many a time ago."
Ranma knew that this line, meant that it was something that the old man would talk about no further. Rather than waste time however, he decided that he would change the subject.
"So Mouse, why did you come here? I mean, why are you looking for me?"
' I really wanted to know more about the old man, but . . . '
"Actually. I was looking, because, well Ranma in truth you are the only friend I have. Well Shan Pu kicked me out, and I wanted to help you find Akane. I went home and spent some needed time with my mother. Then I decided that I would find you."
'Why? I have been searching for all of this time now, why start the fight now, when it has already been in motion for so long?' Ranma's face was shadowed as he looked into the darkness of the hut.
"Well, I appreciated it, but I don't see how you can help. I have been searching. I am learning a new technique, it will help the old man says."
"Ranma I would like to accompany you for the rest of your journey. I promise that I will not be a nuisance, and I won't get in your way, or interfere. I just want to travel with you."
'I will lead you to her, I can see the hurt in your eyes, even though you are hiding them from me.'
"Hay I ain't got no problem with it, it's the old man I think that will."
The two boys look to the old man.
"I would prefer the title, Sensai, or Jematsu. Ranma, you know what the rules are, is he going to be a distraction?"
"Naw. I think that I can work around him, as long as he doesn't bring up the touchy subjects."
'The touchy subjects, I won't even get to think about sleeping after tonight's little talk.'
"Well then Muts Su I welcome you to our humble abode." The old man didn't seem as happy as he had made his voice.
"Thank you Jematsu and Ranma."
'I hope that we can leave soon Ranma.'
(Break *two* hours later)
"So you visited the tribe you say?" Jematsu asked.
"Ya."
"So what's new with them?" Ranma was curious.
"Well Shan Pu has given up on you if that is what you meant."
'I knew he would ask eventually.'
"Wow! One down. Two more to go."
'If I had Akane sitting next to me, I think that I would have kissed her, had I heard such great news.' Ranma became disheartened.
Mouse looked at him through the side of his eye, he hadn't expected that reaction.
"I think that Ukyou will step down as soon as she finds out that you love Akane. I mean, that is if she hasn't found out already." 'Maybe that would cheer him up a little.'
Ranma still didn't reply after a few long moments of silence.
The old man to the rescue.
"So Ranma who are some of these people? You haven't told me about any of them."
"Well to do that I would have to tell you my whole life story."
"I think we have time, we quit early today."
"Well . . ."
Mouse was happy to see that the very disturbing look in Ranma's eyes had diminished to a look of broken hope, but he wanted to make him feel a little better. "Oh come on Ranma, tell him about your travels in China, does he know about your curse?"
"Thanks Mouse, for spilling the beans, if fact I haven't changed yet in front of him, he isn't like Happousai, who purposely splashes me."
"What are you talking about Ranma, a curse?" Jematsu was quite freaked out by such words as curse, spell, and magic.
"See what you've done Mouse, you've scared him!" Ranma looked at Mouse with a glare that was lacking the emotion that Mouse was use to seeing in Ranma's eyes.
*laughter* *more laughter* *bonk*
"It ain't funny!"
'This was more like the Ranma that he remembered.'
"I'm sorry, I mean, he doesn't know, that's what's so funny. I mean, back home, well you were always changing."
"I know, it has bugged me too. Anyway, let me explain before he does something rash. Jematsu, I have a Jesyenkyo curse. Do you know what that is, or do I have to explain that too?"
"Of course I know I was an Amazon wasn't I?"
"Yes."
"What do you change into?" "The mighty reading mind guy that is teaching me hasn't figured that one out yet either Mouse! Wow! Two points for me tonight old man." Ranma laughed out loud, the slightest of smiles creeping onto his face.
"I change into a girl. Laugh if you will but that is what it is, couldn't help it if even if I wished too."
*silence*
"Ranma, is he OK?"
"Ya, he doesn't like surprises, they scare him, I learned that a while ago. If you manage to get him, he is really weird for the next few hours."
"Weird."
"Tell me about it."
"Ranma do you want to take a walk?"
'Me and you need to talk.'
"Sure, lets leave, the old man needs time to think about everything." 'Will you tell me the truth then? I keep getting this strange feeling, it is like you are hiding something.'
(Ranma and Mouse exit)
"So Mouse, is there some other reason why you are here, that you haven't told me? Is there something that you didn't want the old man to hear?"
"Well actually, no. I don't have any news that I haven't told you."
'Except that I want to tell you where Akane is, but I hope you will understand later, that I couldn't do it now.'
"Oh." Ranma seems thwarted.
"Why the sad face?"
'He seems so dismal and lonely.'
"Well I guess I had hoped when I saw you that you were going to bring me some good news. I thought that maybe that you knew something about Akane."
"Ya, I wish that I had some to give you, you are not yourself, and it shows."
" She just vanished. It haunts me. All of the time. I can't find her. I've been looking all of this time."
"You loved her didn't you."
'Haunts you? I am so sorry Ranma.'
"Mouse, I was blind then. I wish I hadn't been, maybe you and I wouldn't be standing here. Maybe if I had told her, then, well maybe then I could sleep."
"It wasn't your fault. Anything could have happened."
"Ya, but we got into a fight, and she ran off. That was the last that I saw of her. No one will ever know how much that hurts Mouse. You will never know. Shan Pu might reject you, but at least you see her every day, and you know she is safe at this very moment, but Mouse, I don't know, I don't and that fear consumes me."
Ranma had turned away, and was now sitting cross legged on the ground.
"So Mouse, you just came to come, if that makes any sense?"
"Ya that is sort of it. Ranma, like I said you are all I have. I have always liked you, and have wanted to be your friend. But I was blind too. I think that now we are both ready to have a friendship, now we are different then before, and we need someone. Ranma, I would like to be your friend, dumb as that may sound."
'Friends?' They both thought.
"Naw, it aint' dumb. I think I would like to take you up on your offer, but there are a few things, for now that you can't bring up. Mouse, I am training, have been for six months or so. I need you to not talk about certain things. I need to stay focused on the training, so don't talk about home, or Akane. I can barely stay focused now, it is hard because each day I feel like I am putting her on the back burner, and that practically kills me. The old man told me that once I have learned this attack, I will be able to find Akane, no matter what."
"Whatever you say Ranma." "Thanks Mouse. I ow you."
"That's what friends are for right."
"Ya, they stick together, through thick and thin till the very end."
"Right."
Ranma got up, took Mouse's fist in his right hand and pulled him into an embrace.
"I am really glad that you have come, I was starting to think that everyone had forgotten about me."
End Chapter Two
Author Notes: TOO MUCH TALKING! There isn't enough emotion in this chapter. I hope that you all liked it. I don't but I want to move it on, I want to finish it. Ranma and Muts Su friends. Muts Su isn't telling him anything don't you all love me!!
Hay just a note to all of my readers, I have re-posted a Prologue that is in the beginning of Chapter one. It also contains a nice note to some readers that had asked for the Prologue. Hope that it clears everything up. Also, if you struggled through a certain part of the story because of grammar, I have also re-posted chapters 3-6. Twice mind you. I thought that had caught all of my errors, and then I realized that I hadn't.
Ranko-chan
