Nakano City.
Bright and early morning proved to be a blessing in disguise for Ryoki Hibiki who, after last night, became the next candidate to stay in the Kimura estate as an unknown orphan, a step possibly ruining her true identity, and the way of life she desperately earned in time.
Up until today the girl had previously practiced several weekends with Chingensai tying to stabilize her original body, and even though the little man respected her female form to a point, he always came clean with how important was for Ryoga to hide deep beneath Ryoki Hibiki's facade.
So far the old man explained how powerful a being bred from a top ranking angel, and a fallen celestial right before he would embrace evil could well surpass both sides, and their own ability to contain such creature.
Chingensai told the boy turned girl that her new unlocking meant a greater secret weapon for any who would caught wind of her existence, and that according to the manuscripts gathered over centuries of research these forbidden spawns had the solely mission to protect earth from either faction.
With that in mind, the master ninja demonstrated his ability to engulf his technique of invisibility not only to screen himself from trackers, but to conceal the girl's incredible Chi while she worked on taming her male side.
By now Ryoki had become accustomed to her male body for some time now, but the unexpected raging of female hormones, and weird attraction towards her original gender began to take over and dominate a brain who never learned his sexuality except from what he saw and heard from others.
To her surprise, and as a defensive mechanism of sorts, denial always worked in her defense until the truth could become so hard for Ryoga to ignore. On this bright morning, the young fanged student busily prepared from yet, another day of school lying mostly to herself thanks to the fear in confronting what she wasn't ready to accept.
Ryoki: "Last night was so amazing between Takeda and I. There was no awkward feelings as friends and I think he sees me as another guy more than a girl. I think I just found Ranma's substitute."
Apparently the lie seemed to have worked wonders because after a while the girl started to fiercely scrub and rinse her skin like if everything had returned to its original state.
There was a lingering feeling of being protected and worried over that the girl desperately needed and actually enjoyed, but speaking loudly about Takeda like her buddy, and thinking of him as a friend sure covered up her dependency for the real treatment.
In her ignorance to watch over her surroundings though Ryoki went right ahead and dropped her towel right before getting into the barrel with hot water when the rustling of leaves told her someone roamed close to camp.
Ryoki: "I already told you!, I am camping on the outskirts from the park, old man. You shouldn't be bothering me out here!"
It had been several times that the park's ranger received reports about children wandering the area past midnight. Among the regular guards and the cleaning employees, what scared Ryoki the most were the social workers in search for missing or homeless kids.
Aika told the girl how crowded and underemployed foster houses were in Japan, and more often than not older kids had always bullied those who weren't able to defend themselves, thus prolonging the torture younger children had to endure.
With her hand trying to reach the towel, and her naked body unable to jump from inside the barrel, Ryoki began to hear the rustling sounds die down a few seconds later, so without thinking any further she quickly submerged into the hot water, changing several times from piglet to a boy, and back until the full fledged girl could skip out from the makeshift bath.
Procuring not to show any skin to any wandering perverts she lunged into the tent, immediately dressing into her school clothes from one jump to the next, and right when the girl started to walk among the profuse mass of leaves and bushes outside her hidden camp, at the end from the thicket two girls and a boy stared at her ecstatic and amazed.
Takeda: "Is this where you actually live?"
The fanged girl saw Hana propping some type of rectangular paper with writing covering both sides between her straightened fingers, clearly showing how on earth they were able to find her.
It was some kind of spell or enchant Shinto priestess might've used to track a certain spiritual target she guessed, but the question remained. Why use it now and not before. . .Unless. . .
Ryoki: "Last night. You put something on my clothes?"
Hana: "A paper doll with a tracking enchant. Honestly, I didn't think on using it before out of respect for you, but we needed to make sure everything about your story would ring true."
Ryoki felt a warm heat raise from her neck and up, clearly seen by the others when the flustered girl bared her fangs in ire, felt her Chi emanate from her feet and demanded a fair explanation from the lack of trust.
Ryoki: "Why would you want to track me down. Am I some kind of delinquent or perhaps a blood thirsty demon in search to destroy the planet!?"
She found the treacherous move impossible to forget, but more importantly the girl knew about the blonde teen accompanying them, and how she related to those angels seeking her utterly destruction. Ryoki slowly stepped back in anger, dropping her books to the side and raising her trusty umbrella into a fighting stance.
Ryoki: "Well. If you were looking for me, here I am."
After the girl let her parasol fall to the ground while making a giant hole in the process, Bella didn't wait any longer to respond at the challenge. The blonde teen menacingly forced her invisible wings on the open, tracing her fingers across the air, and summoning the powerful blade given by her superiors.
Takeda: "Bella!, stop this. . .Ryoki. We don't want to fight you, we just need to know more about you."
It was obvious by now the same treatment she received as a boy would follow her everywhere. Not only her luck as Ryoga Hibiki became so easy to ignore for those she considered friends and family, but Chingensai said it loud and clear. She came from a blood line where a lack of direction and bad karma hid who she really is.
With a ferocious look in her eyes, and tears threatening to fall down her cheek, Ryoki forgot the enemy in front of her with the goal to see Takeda straight at his face.
Ryoki: "Is this why you acted so nice and friendly with me last night?, so you could study and catalogue me as some kind of tamable evil creature!?"
Takeda: "No!, I really enjoyed the time we spent together last night. I really want you to be my friend. . ."
The boy began to walk closer to the fanged girl despite Hana and Bella ordering him to stay back. The priestess felt the need to go for damage control by summoning a powerful spirit capable to freeze foes in place, but surprisingly enough the enchantment failed despite her best efforts.
Hana: "My concentration fails every time I chant the summoning order!. Ever since that day when I was saved from being consumed I felt something obstructing my energy. . .I-I guess I'm not fully healed just yet."
Ryoki and Bella simply ignored her stuttering tries once both girls decided to make this, a personal fight for them only.
Regardless of how the situation looked the priest found no reason to feel threatened at all after the good time they had together the prior day though. With some hiccups where Ryoki wanted to jump back, Takeda managed to close in on the girl, pushing her umbrella to the side and resting a hand on her shoulder.
Takeda: "Do you really think I would let anything happen to you?. Tell me Ryoki-chan. . .Aren't we friends?"
Ryoki made an effort to see past the boy and his intentions, mostly because his smiling face suddenly was replaced with Ranma's trusting features, and his charismatic demeanor splattered all over that smile softened her feelings of betrayal.
After a few moments Ryoki felt somewhat comfortable by being near a boy she started to like as a good male friend, but past experiences had given Ryoki an enormous excuse to distrust new friendly relationships, forcing the teen to test the waters for the first time in this situation.
Ryoki: "I-I. . .I don't know. I mean, we are friends. R-Right?"
Her nervous demeanor and the innocence in her trusting eyes were more than enough proof Takeda found to confide in the girl. His smile broadened even more the second he walked at her side, and stood there facing the other two girls who still doubted her intentions.
Takeda: "See!?, she is a friend of ours. Why don't we lower our weapons and just talk?"
The question went directly at the blonde who still refused to vanish her sword back into the nether realm in fear to be tricked. She had some strong unresolved issues the girl didn't want Takeda to know just yet, and that problem alone made the angel force her blade right under Ryoki's neck despite the fight had already been dealt with.
Bella: "I am sorry Takeda-san, but I have orders to verify every single soul in this city for traces of demonic influence, and since I can't feel any good or bad vibe from her, I think it would be best to capture her."
Takeda: "Bella-san, please. She is my friend just as you are, and I don't want to come between the two of you. . .Please, lower your weapon"
Hana had no idea how to solve this dilemma after the possible outcome where Ryoki could really be an all powerful demon disguised as a normal human girl, fact that could undermine the trusting relationship between angels and humanity.
On one side, Avaron entrusted them with the supervision of every citizen in town, and Ryoki didn't fit any class of human being according to their training.
On the other, she seemed like a ditzy girl who would help the weak and protect the fallen according to Mr. Hisao and other students watching her save them from invading enemies, and at the same time act reserved and shy towards those who procured her well being.
For the priestess who trained and mastered every spiritual class of monster out there, it certainly wasn't able to fit the teen on any pattern she had ever studied over demons and evil spirits along the way.
Hana: "Bella, to be honest I don't feel anything bad in her aura, and all the charms I applied last night showed no evil vibe, or killing intent in her soul. Shouldn't we, I don't know. . .Maybe cut her some slack?"
Bella: "No!, I will not accept a possible demon hiding underneath a sheep's skin. Besides, I don't think Takeda-san needs another fiancée either."
There was a loud ringing of ears on all three teens when a certain hidden truth wasn't supposed to be revealed after the situation they were in, and mutual distrust could damage what they had accomplished so far.
Takeda, and Hana instinctively turned to see a fuming angel demanding some type of explanation they had no idea they needed to give. If anything, the angelic blonde was supposed to be clear before hand about her reasons to stay with them, and disclosure any problem affecting their relationship.
Regardless of their differences, the news forced Ryoki's eyes to bulge into a more intimidating size, confusing her mind about the real reason why Takeda was so nice with her, and asking directly at the boy what exactly was she talking about.
Takeda: "I swear Ryoki-san. I can explain everything. That is, after you let us help you first. . ."
Ryoki: "Fiancée?. . .Wait a minute. Hana, Gina, Bella. Oh man, don't tell me this guy is just like Ranma?"
The fanged girl began to see a pattern very similar to the one the pigtailed boy had been dealing with these past years. She began to understand why Kotone challenged her so much on the open, and why other girls took for granted her involvement with the priest after they were seen together more often than not.
Ryoki: "No way. I am the fourth fiancée destined to live like Akane-san, Ukyo or Shampoo?, No way, no how!"
At this undeniable point, Ryoki began to back away from the boy, disappointed by the blabbering truth the angel more likely than not used to break up their new founded friendship and turning away from his penetrating gaze.
Takeda: "Wait Ryoki-san. I swear I can explain everything. . .Just give me a chance."
Ryoki tried to erase every new sensation they shared as possible comrades, but despite hating her own luck and loneliness, the fanged teen found the confession highly enticing for one choice at least. . .A simple and well deserved fight.
While Takeda tried to salvage the situation, the angel found him too forgiving and instead of waiting for a peaceful resolution, her blade moved even closer to the back of Ryoki's neck, nipping a slight cut near her ear, and cutting her long, dark hair in one swift swoop.
The reaction was immediate. Takeda saw in fear a short haired teen who refused to answer his calls and instead stayed with her eyes looking away from them. Hana loudly gasped in surprise, driving her hands and covering her open mouth while starting a Bella with demanding eyes.
Ryoki saw the long strands of hair fall freely into the ground. For a moment the girl sighed relieved by a look she hated from the start, but desisted from worrying once she knew a quick transformation with hot water would restore what she lost.
No, what Ryoki did was to take this incident as a false pretence to be angry and fight the angel with the goal to see how strong she really is. After a few seconds the fanged fighter turned back and faced the trio, watching attentively at the blonde and directing the conversation at her alone.
Ryoki: "Bella-san. I don't really care for whatever is going on with you three, but if you don't pull that blade aside, believe me. . .I will beat you up."
There was poison in her words alright, caused by the daring affront no less, but regardless of Ryoga's angry looks what Bella found preposterous was the girl's weak attempts to act tough.
Bella: "Really!?, you think you can take on a celestial all by yourself with that puny umbrella and whatever strength your human state may carry?"
Takeda and Hana were left a few paces behind, unable to stop the incoming brawl or find a simple solution to diffuse it again.
It seems there had been some steam boiling inside Bella neither priestesses were aware of, but after the angel pressed forward with the wish to end this quickly, the fanged martial artist tauntingly stepped a few feet behind as a last warning before becoming her real self.
Ryoki: "Believe me, you don't want to test me. . ."
The smirking face in the girl was taunt enough for Bella to thrust her blade forth, coming dangerously close to slice Ryoki's neck until her own parasol parried the heavenly weapon forcibly aside with ease.
Both girls began to slash and dodge around the heavy thicket, dropping most of the bushes and trees into the ground during the assault and making deep indentations on the grass from their normal looking attacks.
Takeda couldn't believe the power behind Ryoki's defensive poses, deflecting and resisting every single plunging hack without much effort on her part and, before the blonde could do something about it, managing to end up mere inches before the angel's face after her offensive skills were completely negated on every turn.
Bella: "H-How can this be!?, how on heaven can you repel the power of justice!"
The winged girl, although vastly experienced in close combat and the use of blades found no possible opening she could benefit from such amazing speed Ryoki dashed in all directions, and the more she pressed on her attacks, the easier her own weaknesses were simply exploited by the human teen.
Ryoki: "I already told you. I didn't want to show you this side of me, but I am not an ordinary girl. . .I am a martial artist, and I have practiced among the most powerful foes threatening this world all my life."
Her condescending chatter and sudden last chop with her undamaged umbrella sent Bella's sword flying into the air, falling a few feet away from the girl, and leaving her with no choice, but to surrender once Ryoki's fist passed besides her face, and a tiny scratch barely covered with a drop of blood forced Bella to step back in anger.
Hana: "Summoning number sixteen. . .Spirit containment!"
It was impossible for the priestess to summon a powerful beast to her aid after the handicap she had, but what else could Hana do when Ryoki could be the Yaomo, and Bella would be in great danger.
Takeda: "No!, enough!"
The priestess pointed a finger towards the reckless vagrant, coming really close to send her pet towards the winner until the boy interceded in the last moment, running in front of Ryoki and raising his arms in a protective manner.
Takeda: "This has gone long enough. Stop this at once Hana-chan!"
Doubtful at first, the priestess did as told by her fiance, calling back the ethereal beast and sending him back to another realm while finding his demanding orders a demeanor she had never seen him use against her.
Hana: "Fine Takeda-kun, but at least she owes us an explanation."
Takeda reinforced Hana's request with his own puzzled eyes staring at Ryoki. The teen quietly encouraged the fanged teen to comply with the priestess request in exchange for his own explanation over the fiance problem.
Ryoki: "Fine, but this has to stay between us. You have to promise me that?"
The point had been clearly set for the trio to see. Ryoki, although timid and weak looking had a dark side they shouldn't trifle with.
The girl realized Bella had repressed some of her power during the fight, but the lack of Chi fueled moves were a disadvantage the blonde angel didn't know how to handle which turned the fanged teen into a dangerous foe.
After the two teens and a reluctant Bella accepted the strange terms with some shroud of doubt, Ryoki walked back to her camp, fixing the provisions scattered all over the place, and asking the teens to line up on one side of the place while she instructed them what to do on the opposite side.
Ryoki: "There's a reason why I have lived in the wilderness most of my life, and whether you understand it or not, that's something I'm not ready to change any time soon."
The fanged teen opted to let some lies mix with the truth, after all, her partial curse was the perfect disguise to mask her way of life, and fake her desire to coexist alone.
After a while Takeda and the girls wondered what was going on with all the steps they needed to follow, but when the girl sat quietly on the floor and asked the boy to pour hot water over her head, all three teens gasped in shock at the sudden vanishing act.
At her request, the pouring liquid made instant contact with Ryoki, leaving only a bunch of clothes falling into a heap at the bottom of the grass, and as the three searched for a possible magic trick or a deceptive move, they all saw a black female piglet shuffling among the school attire.
They all stared at the angry piglet, wondering if it was some type of substitution jutsu, or something of that nature. What made Takeda realize this to be a real transformation was when the yellow bandanna firmly grasped around the pig's neck resembled the same one he saw Ryoki wearing not long ago.
Takeda: "Wait, that's the same bandanna Ryoki wears underneath her hair."
Hana: "How do you know that?, I have never seen her wearing one."
Takeda: "I do!, last night when she worked for Mister Hisao, Ryoki used that same bandanna to tie her hair and work on the kitchen."
Hana: "Wait, you mean to tell me Ryoki Hibiki is that piglet stuck in her clothes?"
Takeda: "That's the only explanation I can come up with, but to make things clear, why don't we take the next step written on the piece of paper?"
The boy read out loud Ryoki's instructions to pour cold water on top of the piglet, asking the boy to close his eyes a moment later and let the girls saw what would happen next.
Takeda did as instructed, and when he looked away from the piglet, Hana gasped loudly at the change. Right there in front of them, a fully naked girl with long flowing hair popped from within the dropped clothes.
Ryoki immediately ran inside the tent and changed into a new school uniform, exiting a moment later and waiting to see their verdict as the teen forcibly fought with a comb and her new, but wet mane.
Hana: "So, you have a curse that changes you into a piglet every time you come in contact with hot water?"
Ryoki: "It's a long story, but yes. I happened to fall into one of Jusenkyo's pools back in China, and now I am cursed with this form."
The girl looked to the side ashamed, mostly because she still lied about her true gender, and the Yaomo side no one is supposed to know yet.
Takeda found the transformation strange at first, but the teen found no reason to fret over the curse after demons and witches were a regular occurrence in this town.
Takeda: "See Hana-chan. I told you she was a nice person."
Hana: "Well, now that you mention it. I think that's why I couldn't read neither good or evil in her aura. I believe her piglet form is mixed with her human aura, and since animals react mostly by instinct instead of human treats, I guess that's why I can't read her right."
Bella found her change still troublesome to accept, but from what Hana explained the blonde came to realize the same outcome could be reached with her own ability to track demons.
Hana: "Wow, I always thought Jusenkyo was another legend my teacher presumably used to scare little children. I have never seen or heard of anyone falling into a pool and visit us around town neither 'cuse, honestly. . .Who would be so stupid to go and mess with those. . ."
The young priestess found herself so embarrassed by the blunder that she tried to express a heartfelt apology. Takeda felt like this would start yet another fight between the girls, but when Ryoki laughed hysterically at the comment, the young priest began to see more clearly through her overprotective feelings.
Ryoki: "Actually, there are several boys and girls who have fallen to different pools, but I prefer not to talk about them."
Takeda saw the saddened eyes and angry semblance the girl had after touching what it felt like a personal matter. Perhaps Ryoki lived among those cursed people and for some reason decided to flee from them, maybe because she was shunned by their condescending view of a piglet form, or because of her defenseless demeanor.
It certainly was a problem he was resolved to find out on his own, and maybe help her surpass that wall. For now though, the boy begged the girl to trust him regardless of what he planned to do next. Ryoki furrowed her eyes at the request, but felt ok in trusting him, so the girl went along with the conversation.
Takeda: "Well, now that everything has been cleared up, I think is time to go home."
Ryoki refused to admit personal weakness by accepting their handouts, but the girl could hardly complain when Takeda sneakily poured hot water over the girl. Ryoki fumed by the unexpected transformation and the clothes she so painstakingly washed by the river drop a second time wet and full of wrinkles.
Her enormous eyes darted angrily at the boy, but Takeda used his apologetics charming smile to defuse the situation, and explain the reason for his actions.
Takeda: "C'mon Ryo. You know how much I want you to live with us, and I'm sure you would refuse to follow us back home if I'd ask nicely. This way I can get the tent all packed up and Hana can bring you with us before the bell at school leave us out."
It was a well thought out plan, one that ended up with Ryoki nervously resting once again between Hana's ample breasts just like she did as P-Chan with Akane, and watch beaten how her life started a new beginning and a new home.
The priestess felt rather comfortable carrying the piglet between her chest and crossed arms, despite being a human being trapped in that form. Bella sensed Ryoki intensely blushing by the way she was being transported, but no matter how peacefully this situation had been arranged, the angel still had a mission to remember.
The trio walked back as the early darkness began to dissipate into close to six in the morning. They had plenty of time to make all preparations before arriving to school, but as they rushed over to the estate, Takeda and Hana tried to see what was wrong with their angelic companion.
At first, they went for comically induced questions and invitations to physically exercise after school was done with the idea to make a light feeling from their questioning.
Then it came the more serious inquiries Bella found annoying. When they finally confessed their plan to track Ryoki's whereabouts this morning the blonde used that opening to rush into the park and resolve some unfinished business without Takeda's knowledge.
That was the moment Takeda used to politely ask Bella what was her real reason for attacking the fanged teen.
There was no point in denying her hatred for Ryoki at this point. The angel felt a pang in her chest obfuscating her intentions and forcing the young looking ancient to explain the true problem aching in her heart.
What the young human heroes didn't see was the role Bella had as earth's official representative on Chiasa city. Avaron, as her superior ranking officer and sensei took the young angel from the Kimura estate during the weekend to prepare the girl with more pressing matters than to track demons.
Among the important points both angels went through, one affected the girl the most. Bella asked Avaron about her involvement between Takeda and herself in a more intimate manner which prompted the elite archangel to explode and do what she did several millennia ago.
That's when everything fell to pieces.
Avaron: "You are an ambassador from heaven, and not a possible fiancée for that boy!, I can't believe you thought that a celestial would mingle with a human as a sexual partner. If I destroyed those who dared cross that line in the past. . .What makes you think I would let that happen now!?"
After that altercation everything became cold and dull for the blonde. How on earth was she supposed to watch over a human boy gifted to become a powerful ally. A teen who saved her several times over, and eventually forced her heart to slowly fall in love with him, only to be ordered not to follow her deepest feelings.
Of course she would never admit that to Takeda, or Hana but watching a cursed human who turns into an animal to become the boy's next fiancée was the last straw she refused to simply let go.
When they arrived home Ryoki had much more problems than what she anticipated when Eiko, Gina and Aika had their turns with the piglet on their collective arms, moving the tiny pet from one girl to the next in such euphoria that Ryoki escaped on the last moment and ran scared towards an amused who found her dizzy and dead tired.
Takeda: "I think our guest has enough. Besides, we need to show Ryoki her new room and be ready for school. . .C'mon!"
Finally Eiko happily took Ryoki into her own bathroom, leaving the girl a new set of clothes on her bed and reminding the fanged student only twenty five minutes were left before closing the school gates.
It took much less than that for the girl to burst out of the house followed by Takeda, Hana, and a silent Bella. The girl felt bad for lying to her new hosts, but time was supposed to tell if trusting the angels was the right way to go.
Eventually the teen would meet Chingensai on the weekends, and he could teach her more about heaven and hell. For now, she decided to bury male Ryoga deep in her mind, and use him only when her Sensei would be present.
Nerima City.
Just a few months after a whole year had passed since the Tendos weren't able to find Ryoga, the family began a slippery slope neither Ranma or Akane were ready to deal with on their own.
A time terribly wasted once his apprehension became a heavy burden both teens had no idea how to cope with.
For Ranma, the lack of a worthy opponent who always strived to arrive with a powerful new technique forced him into relying with the odious and tired jokes he could pull from Tatewaki Kuno whether as a boy or a girl.
It was still a lot of fun to pull pranks over the unsuspecting Kendo fighter, only this time most games would end up when the older boy became too difficult to handle, and his hands couldn't be stopped from touching her beyond certain limits.
By then Ranma had to flee, vanishing into the roofs, and being unable to enjoy pretending to be a girlfriend or a fiancée himself like she did all the time with Ryoga. Still, what made him so angry the most was the fact he was falling behind with his training which negatively damaged his process to become stronger.
For Akane Tendo, a normal girl who had always fell short in ability compared to a more powerful cook or a much stronger Chinese waitress missed increasingly more the lost boy than the others.
The youngest Tendo began to understand the pivotal role Ryoga had by acting as her most trusted companion as a piglet, not to mention best male friend as a human which helped her defuse not most, but all the humiliations Ranma did to her on a daily basis.
Perhaps this was the real reason why the girl started to loose it after so long without a reliable confidant. This was the moment when it became painfully clear to Kasumi and her father what Ranma was soon to learn one of these days.
Akane: "Nabiki should be here an hour ago. I don't know what could be holding her back."
Ranma: "Don' worry. She'll be here any second an' we'll know for sure what happened ta that idiot."
It had taken Nabiki Tendo a few days to gather information about Ryoga Hibiki and his whereabouts, time she used wisely to ask not only her closest contacts here in Nerima, but certain acquaintances she indirectly met during off campus journeys.
Ukyo: "Whatever it is, I hope he is alright. I wouldn't want that jackass to blame me for what happened last time we met."
Shampoo: "Shampoo too hope pig boy ok. He no enemy, and Shampoo no want him in trouble."
They all gathered in the precise day the middle Tendo requested each, and everyone to wait for her tracking information. When the sound of a taxi stopping by, and the swivel from the main gate creaked open were heard in the distance, they all knew she was about to enter the house.
When everyone saw her pace towards the group, the first in react badly was Akane. The girl could see disappointment in her sister's features, and what it looked like a defeated stare at the floor.
Akane: "You didn't find him, did you Onee-chan?"
Ranma felt a pang of guilt he dared not to show to the others, remembering mostly all the terrible jokes he did either as a boy or a girl leading him into doubting his own innocence in Ryoga's predicament.
Nabiki: "It's not that I don't have the information Akane, after all, that's what you paid me for. No, the problem here is how to explain my findings."
Suddenly, all those fears of betrayal and guilt became too real for Akane to handle. She couldn't forget when Ryoga gave her the coldest of stares, internally unchaining a massive blame the girl wasn't able to endure any longer.
It was a somber and disinterested feeling she hadn't felt from him at all. That was the breaking point Akane Tendo achieved in time and the one hole on their friendship that would turn the tide in her life.
The girl felt her knees shake, and loose their strength, forcing the teen to fall on the couch and drive her hands at her weeping face.
Akane: "I knew it. He must have figured it out how I treated him, and finally snapped."
Nabiki: "Not only you nee-chan, but everyone on this room contributed to Ryoga's last moments in prison."
When Ranma heard this the boy walked closer to his fiancée, sitting at her side and asking Nabiki to be more specific about her findings.
Ukyo and Shampoo decided to leave the whole conversation for the informant to be thorough with her report, seeing with jealousy how Akane hugged all of Ranma to herself and they would get nothing from their efforts in return.
Nabiki: "Well, it went like this. . ."
The short haired teen began to recant several testimonies from the convicts living closer to Ryoga's cell. Nabiki described a friend of hers whose father was the prison's warden, and with that connection the girl managed to interview those prisoners.
Nabiki: "Some of them told me how Ryoga-kun crumbled wall after wall with his bare fingers, calling himself an idiot and speaking aloud the several dastardly experiences he had with us. The boys trapped in those cells told me so much, even I come to realize how cruel we became over the years."
The middle Tendo described from the boys constantly listening to Ryoga's laments about the time Akane was turned into the cursed doll, and no one ever thanked or even tried to find a lost P-chan in the middle of the forest after the ordeal had been dealt with.
She mentioned other stories Ryoga desperately professed about his incompetence to see the truth, like when the poor lost boy fought valiantly to protect Akane from evil, ghosts and monsters only to be taken like a second rate sidekick, and tossed aside like the trash he ended up believing himself to be.
Nabiki: "Lastly, when he hid the truth about his incarceration from us, there was no one helping him cure the sinking depressive levels he developed all alone in that cell. No one to call a friend or family, and after months of being secluded and overlooked he ended up going crazy, shouting to the winds and cursing Ranma Saotome and anyone else who lived in Nerima for his bad luck."
There was no denying her feelings now. Akane found no redeeming chance to revert her guilt into forgiveness, and after Nabiki pulled the last remaining pages from her report, the girl knew something else was left to be said.
Nabiki: "Anyway. The last convict living directly in front of Ryoga's cell described how the teen started to go crazier by talking alone and towards the only gap he had in the tiny room to the outside world, finally disappearing from the prison altogether a few days later."
"No one really knows how he escaped, but most remember a bright light right before the cell crumbled into a million pieces and the boy was never found again."
Ukyo tried to clear her mind from any blame, but she knew better how the girl used him to separate Akane from Ranma. She always had a plan where the lost boy would falsely entice the youngest Tendo, taking into account his intimate feelings for the girl, and playing them to her own gain.
Shampoo, although sternly sad at the lack of evidence, the girl found no ill feeling for the boy. They might have had a few differences in the past, mostly when the lost boy chased after Ranma, but she felt no need to show guilt in her participation during the last fight.
Ranma simply furrowed his closed eyes, thinking on a way to salvage whatever peace Akane had left, but failing miserably when not even he could survive the enormous guilt eating his soul.
Ranma: "I-I'm sorry 'Kane. . .I. . ."
Akane found no desire to listen to any consoling words. Her hand shoved the pigtailed teen against the floor, using the pushing force to run at her room and never leave it for the day.
Ukyo: "Ran-chan. . .I."
The beautiful cook tried to do her part to sooth her fiance into a more calm sentiment, but Ranma, although angry at the situation, instead used his culpability to walk from all three girls, jump on the roof where he and Ryoga used to meditate together, and stay the rest of the day all alone.
Shampoo felt the need to leave, and hope everything would be better the next day, but she too believed Ryoga was a big part of them all, and not knowing where could the lost boy be surely affected each and everyone in different ways.
From the empty feeling of solitude she couldn't escape from Akane looked through her window, asking with regretful whimpers what to do next now that her closest friend and confidant had no way to return from whatever took him by force in that jail.
Akane: "Where are you Ryoga-kun. . ."
On the roof, the pigtailed teen stared at the stars as the cold breeze from the night aided to his remorse. His crossed arms resting underneath his head, and his eyes casually darting towards his right side of the roof where Ryoga rested compelled him to wonder about his only secret friend as well.
Ranma: "Damn it man, where in the hell are you?"
Ukyo and Shampoo were the only ones leaving any future clue to the Tendos, but they knew the great team they became over the years had finally come to an abrupt end.
Nakano City.
In the middle of the night a tiny shadow melded with darkness and waving bushes alike. The darting Silhouette moved furtively across streets and hidden alleys until the comfortable sensation of warm sake and several female undergarments hanging from some cloth lines attracted the tiny predator into a well placed trap.
Swoosh!. . .
Happosai: "What the hell?. . .Who did this!?"
Chingensai: "Ah, if it isn't my old friend, Happy!, sneaking into my home and searching for what now?"
The tiny man in a purple uniform fought with explosive tricks and nails to escape the well placed net binding his every move, but failing miserably when Chingensai had been in constant training, unlike his more demure self-training.
Happosai: "You know why I'm here, you ol' coot!, Amano-chan paid me a visit yesterday, and she told me some rather important discoveries you made these past few days, my friend."
Chingensai: "So!. Hell has finally caught up with the news, and has decided to use my best friend against me?. Need I remind you our old Sensei gave me the "star from the east" to continue our clan's research over a possible Yaomo, and that every living clan member must support my lead?"
Happosai: "That only means that the rumor is true. Are you really harboring a real living Yaomo like the one those fake texts we. . .Um, illegally took, described?"
Chingensai: "I really did my friend, but I can only show "him" to those who bear my own vision."
Happosai: "Fine, fine!, I abide to the clan's rules, and I bid my loyalty to you. Now, let me off this darned net, and tell me all about that devil. . ."
The tiny bearded master set the trap back to its normal shape, releasing the old man, and leading him to the table outside the garden.
Chingensai: "I'm glad you listened to reason Happy. When you meet the Yaomo I am training from scratch, you will flip out like crazy!"
Both masters stayed the rest of the night contemplating the stars, and drinking until the bottles ran out. Happosai accepted his hospitality and decided to stay in the city until this weekend when the mysterious and all powerful being could be summoned without angels or demons finding him first.