Ranma-chan: Genie of the Ring
by Disruptor


Disclaimer: All characters that are used belong to their respective creators. I do this for fun and do not take any money off of it. Please don't sue me. The stories are mine, so please don't use them without asking me.


Chapter 9


Walking into her house, Akane was rushed at by her father and Genma. Genma was in panda form.

"Have you seen Ranma? Where have you been?" her father demanded.

"Growf!"

Akane took a deep breath to calm herself before saying anything.

"No, Daddy. I didn't encounter Ranma while I was out. P-chan showed back up and I took him to the vet," she said, feeling a bit angry. "If you don't mind, I'd rather not talk anymore. I still want to know what you were thinking with those flyers."

"Akane, that's for the good of the Dojo, and..."

Akane didn't hear the rest of the words, as she turned away and walked up to her room. She saw Nabiki leaning up against her door. Glaring at Nabiki, she noticed that her sister was looking somewhat exasperated. The youngest of the Tendo girls cocked her head in a questioning manner.

"I didn't print the second group of flyers for them, sis. They found someone else to do it, after I refused."

"Why didn't you?" Akane whispered harshly.

Nabiki, shivering at her sister's rage, replied, "Ranma is starting to scare me. The way he's been bursting into rages makes me wonder if he's about ready to snap and severely injure someone. I don't want be the one he goes after."

Akane replayed recent events in her mind and did recall that Ranma's temper was becoming shorter and shorter. She resolved to talk to him about that, when she could arrange some secluded place, one where they wouldn't be spied upon. She glanced back at her sister and examined her. Seeing Nabiki biting her lip and shuddering, she was able to tell that her sister was telling the truth.

Her eyes softening, Akane said, "I believe you, Nabiki. Nothing Daddy or Mr. Saotome surprises me anymore."

Akane entered her room, leaving the middle Tendo sister alone with her thoughts. Wondering where to go to talk with Ranma, Akane lay down on her bed.

Ranma, I need to talk with you. I just can't think of any place around town that is private enough for us. I'd better think of where I'm going to move to and how to support myself. I can't use Ranma for something like that. I'm trying to avoid suspicion.

Akane pondered the problems for a bit when she was interrupted by a knock at the door.

"May I come in?"

"Sure, Kasumi."

The eldest Tendo sister entered Akane's room and sat down on the bed, next to Akane.

"I came to see how you're holding up," Kasumi said.

"I'm fine. As to Ranma, I'm not too sure about him."

Kasumi gazed thoughtfully at her younger sibling.

"There is something else, isn't there?"

Akane nodded, sighed, and replied, "Yes. I'm thinking about moving out. I'm getting a little tired of having my dad and Mr. Saotome pushing Ranma and me together. Right now I'm trying to figure out where to get the money from, that won't raise any suspicions."

Kasumi narrowed her eyes at some of the statements, She understood the real reasons Akane wanted to move.

Kasumi offered, "Why don't you sell some of the items that Ranma has built up. I'm sure that those three urns that were supposed to form a spring of drowned man would be of some value to a museum."

Surprised at the suggestion, Akane looked at her sister and said, "I thought you would be opposed to the idea."

"I know why you want to move, little sister. And, I agree with you. I also think Father went a little too far today. If you want, I'll help you with packing."

Nodding her thanks, Akane got up and started pulling her clothes from the wardrobe. As soon as she found a place to live, she wanted to move out as fast as possible. She carefully laid the clothes on her bed. Kasumi returned, carrying the two gray suitcases that she had left the room to get. The two sisters managed to pack a lot of Akane's clothes into the luggage. There was quite a bit of clothes left over, but Akane decided that she had enough to get started. Kasumi looked around the room and came to a decision.

"Akane, I think it might be best if you stayed with me tonight. We'll put your luggage in my room as well. People seem to have a habit of visiting your room at night with hostile intentions."

"I understand, Kasumi."

The sisters picked up the suitcases and carried them to Kasumi's room. Akane lay down on a futon that had been set out for her. She waited for her eldest sister to finish getting ready for bed. Kasumi came out of the bathroom, rubbing her neck and went to her bed.

I think Kasumi had better change the battery for her Tamagotchi, it's starting to beep, Akane thought to herself, before slumber overtook her.


During the night, a large crash woke Kasumi and Akane. Kasumi got up and went to the door.

"Sis, where are you going?" Akane asked nervously. "You don't know martial arts."

"I know. But, I have a feeling that whoever this is, is after you and will leave me alone."

So saying, Kasumi walked towards he little sister's room. Before leaving, she closed the door to her room to keep anyone from seeing in. She looked into Akane's bedroom and saw Shampoo.

Seeing Kasumi, Shampoo demanded, "Where is Akane? Shampoo searched for Ranma all day and couldn't find him."

"Oh my."

Before Kasumi could say anything more, the two men in the house came rushing upstairs.

"Ranma my boy, where were you?"

"You have a lot of explaining to do, son."

The two men slid to a stop when they saw Shampoo confronting Kasumi. The Amazon glared at Genma and Soun.

"Where is Akane?" Shampoo asked again. "Shampoo will find her and get where Ranma is at, from her,"

"WHAAAAAAAAH!" Soun cried, with two waterfalls coming from his eyes. "My baby girl has ran away."

Kasumi just watched and didn't say anything, noticing that her father must have just came from the bathroom.

Clapping Soun on the back, Genma said, "Cheer up, Tendo. Our children must be together. All we have to do is go find them. Our houses will be joined."

The human waterfall stopped crying and replied, "You're right, Saotome. We just gave up the hunt too early."

The two men raced downstairs and out into the night, not caring it was two in the morning. Watching them go, the Chinese girl bounded out of Akane's window and went after the two. Kasumi smiled as she returned to her room.

Opening the door, she said, "It's okay, Akane. Shampoo, Father, and Mr. Saotome left."

Akane nodded, nervously wringing her hands. Through that action, she accidentally rubbed the ruby. Smoke billowed forth from the gemstone.

"What is your wish, master?" Ranma-chan said, after she formed from the smoke.

Gazing at Ranma with pity in her eyes, Akane said, "Sorry, Ranma. I summoned you by accident. Please return to the ring."

"Yes, master," the genie replied before turning back into smoke, that was pulled into the ruby.

Kasumi saw Akane shudder at the word 'master' and placed an arm on her sister's shoulder.

"It hasn't been easy for you, has it? Get some sleep. We'll talk tomorrow, while we're hunting for a place for you."

Akane nodded, looking like she was about ready to burst into tears. Kasumi lay down and listened as her younger sister quietly sobbed herself to sleep.


Outside Kasumi's room, Nabiki was in a state of shock at what she just saw.

Was that Ranma? Akane crying and moving out?

Nabiki stumbled back to her room and flopped down on her bed. Putting the back of her right hand against her forehead, she looked up at the ceiling.

Now I understand why Ranma has had such a short temper recently. Akane does not seem to be taking this well, Nabiki thought to herself.

The middle Tendo felt a bit hurt that her sister was able to keep a secret that big from her. After a moment of consideration, she realized the necessity of silence in this matter. Some visions of using Ranma to make money went through her head.

"No. I'm not going to make Akane mad at me by taking advantage of Ranma. Besides, where would the fun be in that," Nabiki said quietly, trying to convince herself of the rightness of that decision.

Recalling Akane's face, after summoning Ranma, Nabiki thought, My little sister is hurting, and I can't do a thing to help. Because, Akane doesn't trust me. Maybe I can do something to help her, without her being aware of it.

The middle Tendo sister sighed heavily and started making some plans to divert Ranma's would-be suitors and rivals away from Akane. She wondered where her little sister would move to.

This isn't going to be easy, Nabiki thought. It would be easier to swim to China, than to straighten this mess out.

A few minutes later, she joined her sisters in slumber.