Well, it's only been a day and change since I posted, but I already have 3 reviews! Thank you very much to all of you! Now, on with the next chapter!
Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Anyone who tells you otherwise is a filthy liar.
Ranma's POV
I hate feeling powerless. I know I'm not the smartest or even the strongest, but bein' unable to do anything was a bitter pill to swallow…There are probably better ways to word that, given the circumstances we found ourselves in. But no one's ever accused me of havin' a way with words.
Anyway, Akane, Ucchan, Shampoo, and I all arrived at Ryu's place the morning after the incident. Akane was still wearing a blindfold, because at the time we didn't know who had which pill. We were greeted by Kirara, who was in the middle of making breakfast.
"Is Ryu awake?" Ucchan asked.
"He should be waking up any minute now. Ranma, would you mind waking him?" Kirara asked. I will admit to being afraid of what I'd find when I woke Ryu up, but I agreed anyway. I ain't no coward. I made my way to Ryu's room and entered.
"Ryu, time to wake up!" I called out. Ryu stirred and then slowly opened his eyes.
"Ranma? Where's Shampoo? I need to see Shampoo," My blood turned to ice.
"Why do you need to see Shampoo?" I asked, holding onto a sliver of hope.
"To tell her I love her, of course! Do you know where she is? I can't stand not being next to her. She's just so beautiful…" He sighed wistfully.
"You stay right here and I'll go get her, OK?" I lied.
"OK. Please hurry Ranma." At his request I left the room. I closed the door behind me and took a deep breath to steady myself. I walked back to the kitchen.
"Ryu took the lifelong pill," I decided it was best to just rip off the band-aid, as the saying goes. Everyone reacted differently. Ucchan's eyes turned downward and I could tell she was fighting off tears. Akane looked like she was about to lose her breakfast. Shampoo gasped 'Oh Ancestors' and started muttering in Mandarin. I couldn't see Kirara's face, with her back turned to me, but her lashing tails told the story well enough. When she turned, her face was perfectly blank.
"We all knew this was a possibility. It changes nothing. I will administer the counter potion. Shampoo, I hate to ask this of you, but would you be willing to stay until it takes effect?" Kirara asked.
"I will. Ryu is Shampoo's friend. It would be too too cruel to abandon him in time of need," Shampoo replied firmly. Kirara nodded and went to give Ryu the medicine.
"Thank you," Ucchan said quietly.
"No need thank Shampoo. Shampoo is just cleaning up after Joketsuzoku mess," Shampoo tried to brush it off.
"Thank you anyway," Ucchan insisted and Shampoo offered no more resistance, "And Akane, you can take off that blindfold now."
"Oh, right…" Akane awkwardly removed her blindfold, blinking rapidly in the light. Right thereafter, Ryu and his mom came into the room.
"Shampoo!" Ryu cried happily and bounded over to Shampoo. You could almost see the hearts in his eyes. "I'm so happy to see you! Do you wanna go on a date? Is there anything you want? I love-"
"Ryu, shut up and eat your breakfast," Kirara ordered.
"Yes Mom," Ryu obediently sat down and started eating. That didn't stop him from casting adoring looks over to Shampoo.
"Was I that bad?" I whispered to Akane.
"Yes," She whispered back. I grimaced. I guess you shouldn't ask questions you don't really want the answer for.
"How long until medicine work?" Shampoo asked.
"It shouldn't be more than five to ten minutes," Kirara answered.
"I'm going to get some air," Ucchan suddenly announced. She all but bolted out the door and I was right behind her.
"Hey Ucchan, wait up!" I called after her.
"What do I do, Ranchan? All I wanted was to spend summer vacation with my boyfriend and now, thanks to that hell spawn Happosai, he's makin' eyes at another girl! I just- what do I do Ranchan?" Ucchan sounded super frustrated and I couldn't blame her.
"I dunno. As much as I'd like to tell ya otherwise, the only thing I can think of that might make ya feel better is murdering the old freak. Hopefully Kirara's medicine works," I said lamely. Ucchan let out a long breath.
"Yeah, I guess so. This is my first real relationship, ya know? I don't want it to end over something out of our control."
"Then don't. I may not have known Ryu for as long as Akane, but I think he really does care for ya. I mean, hell, he opened up to you about his fucked up past before anyone else. It won't be easy, but if ya really want it then it's worth it," I shrugged. I wasn't really good at feelings and stuff.
"You're right. I can't let Happosai win! Thanks Ranchan," I dunno how she got that from what I said, but if it helped her then I wasn't complaining.
"No problem Ucchan. I know I'd hate it if somethin' like this happened to Akane or Shampoo," I admitted. Ucchan shot me a sideways look.
"So, Akane and Shampoo, huh?"
"I care an awful lot about both of em," I replied honestly.
"You should tell them," Ucchan stated.
"I know, I know, but I'm just too chicken shit. What if I hurt them? What if I lose them? I don't want that. Maybe I'm like my old man after all, too damn greedy for my own good…" I sighed.
"Ranma, don't be silly. There's nothing wrong with crushing on two girls. Will you have to make a choice? Probably. Does that choice have to be right this instant? No. Do you plan on seeing one of them behind the other's back?" Ucchan asked.
"What? No! That'd be stupid! I'm not some playboy," I exclaimed.
"Then you're going to be just fine Ranchan. Just sit them both down and explain your feelings to them. I'm sure they'll understand. Shampoo probably more than Akane, granted, but both will understand I'm sure," Ucchan counseled.
"That sounds like a good idea. Now I just have to pluck up the courage to actually do it. That's the hard part," I said.
"Well, it's not like there's any pressure or anything. Akane seems pretty set in the bachelorette camp for the time being and Shampoo's just plain nutty about you. Just don't wait too long. Nothing good ever came of sitting on something like this too long," Ucchan warned.
"Thanks Ucchan. I came out here to comfort you and you wound up giving me good advice." I laughed weakly.
"What're best friends for?" Ucchan said with a smile, "Let's head back in. Ryu's meds should be kicking in about now." So we entered the house again. Inside we found Akane and Shampoo looking extremely uncomfortable while Kirara was calmly sipping a drink of some kind and Ryu had his head on the table.
"How do you feel Ryu?" I asked.
"I feel awful. I know I'm under the effects of a love potion, but I just can't stop thinking about Shampoo," He broke off into giggles before cutting himself off, "No, no, I'm in control. I can keep myself under control."
"Ryu, you don't have to give yourself an ulcer. I know how you really feel, even if the love potion is getting in the way of that," Ucchan assured him.
"You are being entirely too understanding," Ryu muttered.
"Ryu, only you'd be dumb enough to think we should blame you for something completely out of your hands," Akane chided affectionately.
"You're in good hands, honey. I'll be leaving now. Stay safe," Kirara leaned over and pecked her son on the forehead.
"Aw Mom, not in front of everyone!" Ryu complained mildly, but didn't even offer token resistance.
"Please watch over my son and try to keep him from doing anything too stupid," Kirara requested.
"I'm right here! I'm drugged to hell and back, but still here!" Ryu whined.
"We'll try and keep him in one piece," Ucchan promised with a smirk on her face.
"Thank you, that's all I ask. Ryu, try not to burn the house down while I'm gone," With that, Kirara left on her hunt for Solomon.
Shampoo's POV
Eventually, Ukyo and I had to leave to see to our respective businesses…or more accurately, my grandmother's café and Ukyo's business. Since they were in the same general area, we walked together. I don't know about Ukyo, but I felt extremely awkward.
"Shampoo is sorry, Ukyo," I apologized when the awkwardness finally got to me.
"I dunno why you're apologizing sugar. You're not the one who poisoned Ryu or made him look at you," Ukyo brushed me off.
"Ryu is acting like stupid Mousse! Why you no angry?!" I demanded to know.
"Oh, I'm furious. At Happosai, like I should be. I talked with Ranchan and I know taking it out on you or Ryu wouldn't help anything. We just gotta deal with this mess one day at a time," Ukyo shrugged, "Besides, I know you won't try and take advantage of it or anything. You've only got eyes for Ranchan."
"Is true. Ranma only male in Shampoo's heart," I agreed.
"Only male huh?" Ukyo waggled her eyebrows.
"Shut up Spatula Girl. Shampoo no mean it like that," I pouted at her.
"Methinks the lady doth protest too much," Ukyo had graduated to full grin.
"Shampoo knew it! Spatula Girl is tormenting poor Shampoo!" I cried out dramatically.
"I would've thought the Champ had a thicker skin. Or maybe it only hurts 'cause it's true~" Ukyo snickered.
"Shampoo hate you," I said flatly.
"Aw, you don't mean that," Ukyo gave me puppy dog eyes. I rolled my own.
"Don't you have somewhere to be?" I asked.
"Alright, alright, I get it. See you later, Shampoo," With that Ukyo walked off towards her restaurant. I continued towards the Cat Café and soon arrived.
"Ah, Shampoo, welcome back. How was the part timer?" Great Grandmother asked as I walked in the door. I told her what had happened and that Ryu had been the one to swallow the lifetime pill.
"That's a shame. Hopefully that mother of his does find a cure," Great Grandmother remarked while taking a puff from her pipe, "Anyway, you've got deliveries to get to. Hop to it!"
I was glad for the chance to ride my bike. It was always a good chance for me to think. I didn't have to focus on forms like I did when practicing kata, so thinking was easier.
My thoughts were turbulent that day. The usual troubles of how to get Ranma to fall for me were now mixed with the issue of how to deal with Ryu while he was under the influence the love potion. If I were being completely honest, seeing Ryu act like Mousse was downright creepy to me. Despite how I treat Ryu, I do see him as a friend. If that makes me a toxic person, so be it.
In the end, the only thing I could think of doing was just to try and pretend everything was normal, or what passes for normal around Nerima. If the situation required more of me than that, then I'd deal with it when it came up.
Honestly this chapter was almost as hard to write as last one, for different reasons. Now, I want to address something that was brought up in a review that I've been meaning to talk about for a while, but due to my forced hiatus I never got around to before.
As far as Ranma's relationships go, it's going to be a slow burn. Ranma and Akane are super tsundere towards each other in canon and in this story, since the romantic tension between the two is pretty much dead, it's pretty much up to Ranma to make the first move.
Akane does feel some romantic inclination towards Ranma, but doesn't want to act on it. There's also the compounding issue of Shampoo. Shampoo wants to be #1 in Ranma's heart and is willing to play a bit dirty to get it.
Speaking of Shampoo, I have no idea who she's going to end up with. I had a vague idea that she's wind up with Ryoga when the story started, but that ship has sailed. Will she end up with Ranma and Akane in a three way relationship? I don't know. She could possibly end up in a three way with Ryu and Ukyo, but given how she's treated Ryu, that is highly unlikely.
No matter what, there will be Ranma X Akane. I set out with this story to make a slightly more grounded story with Ranma and Akane actually getting along sometimes before the failed wedding.
If you'll let me get on my soapbox for a moment…I personally believe monogamy is a dumb practice that serves a purpose, given human nature to be jealous. My characters might not feel the same way. That's yet to be figured out. Just know that I hate harem anime where only the lead girl gets to be happy. I want everyone to be happy, as unrealistic as that is.
OK, rant over. If you read the whole thing, thank you very much. If you just read the chapter, thanks also. Until next time!