Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is owned by Rumiko Takahashi.

Makaze

By:Lotusmoon

"Ranma, can't you take your eyes of the TV at least for a while?" Nabiki asked.

"I'm waiting for updates on that Mount Kato flooding tragedy."

"But Ranma, you haven't eaten dinner yet." Akane exclaimed.

"I'm fine without dinner Akane."

"Ranma, we all are worried about Ryoga but you can't do this to yourself you know." Nabiki commented.

"We all know what a boy Ryoga is. He can get lost anywhere but his probably on his way here."

Thud! Thud! Ranma's heart was beating hard. No matter which way he thinks of it, he couldn't let himself sit by and wait for Ryoga. Ranma stood up from where he was sitting and started walking out of the room.

"A…nani?" Nabiki trailed off.

"Ranma wait! Where are you going?" Akane asked. Ranma looked back.

"I'm going to find Ryoga."

He clenched his fist and gritted his teeth.

"It's the only way I know to make sure he's fine."

Both Akane and Kasumi had a surge of delight. At last they don't have to worry a lot anymore. On the low card, Nabiki who never fails to notice things had something short to say.

"Okay Ranma, let's say you're going to go look for Ryoga. How are you going to get there?" Nabiki's question replaced a frown on the other Tendo sisters. Ranma was speechless. Nabiki was right. Ryoga was on the south part of Japan. How can he manage to do it on foot?

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There was an eerie feeling around Nerima. It was as if an evil was passing by looking for a place to shelter for the next hundred years. Too bad that Nerima has always been luring in weird people and weird situations. What is it about this place that makes a lot of things swarm it. The Tendo Dojo, it was quiet. The day became more eerie as hours pass by. There was a voice that went by with the wind as it blows through Nerima. The sound which no ones wants to hear or encounter. The scream that shrivels down a persons spine when it was not of this world. A banjee screamed.

Nerima was awfully quiet. The only things you'll see around the streets are leaves and dust, how come?

"I have to reach the road before this storm reaches me. I have to get out of this place. It doesn't look like this forest has any kind of foundation for this storm. I'm pretty sure this is going to be a strong one. If I'm lucky enough I will reach the Tendo Dojo by tomorrow. First things first, I have to get out of here. It doesn't feel right." With that Ryoga started packing his things and started trailing. He just got back from his training by the lake. It was weird for him, he woke up seeing the sun. When he got back from his camp this frightening feeling took over him. There was a fog instead of sunlight; there was silence instead of birds chirping. He knew right away something was wrong and with this one it doesn't seem like it's going to be an easy trip going home.

"Something is going to happen. I can feel it." Ryoga continued his trail. "Oh no I forgot! If it rains I'm going to turn into Pchan. How am I going to get home then? I have to hurry up." He walked then he started running. He was in an even darker place than he was before. Terror overcame his will to get out of that place. He was panicking. He needs to get out of there before the storm reaches him. All of a sudden something cold hit him.

-- Huh? --

Then another one, until a hundred droplets of cold water started falling on the ground and on the leaves and on an unfortunate person.

He was huffing, huffing hard. "Man that was close! Phew! Good thing I had my umbrella at hand. Some things you learn at boy scouts. Haha!" Ryoga continued his trail. Obviously he was less frightened ten minutes ago. There was a slight smile on his face.

-- When I come home I will shower you with gifts Akane. Then I will profess my love for you. As for you Ranma, be prepared. For I will crush your suffering so your life will end in peace. --

Ryoga let out a small evil laughter. Until he went on laughing like a maniac.

"I have never been so prepared in my whole life Saotome! I prepared myself only for our battle!"

Suddenly he stopped. He felt something coming, he knew it because it was behind him. "What now?"

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"Ranma you have a letter. It's from Ryoga." Akane handed the letter to Ranma who was supporting his body with his head. He sat up straight and took the letter. He opened it and read through. Ranma knew that with Ryoga's letter it could only contain two things, a challenge and a whole week of waiting for him which means that he still has one week not to worry about anything.

"Ranma it's another challenge from Ryoga!" Akane said looking at the letter.

"I know Akane. You should know by the now that he won't be here for another week and that is for sure. You know how our little pig friend gets lost." Ranma let out a small laugh.

"What was that Ranma?" Akane asked. She battered her eyelashes a couple of times not because she was trying to be cute but because she was clueless as to what Ranma was laughing about. "Really Ranma you act like Ryoga's such a weakling to you sometimes you wont even take him seriously. What if he beats you dead next time, how are you going to take it?" Akane said. "Well you know Akane we'll wait and see if he can beat me dead next time. Until then you won't have to worry about me, okay?" Ranma smiled. He was teasing her again.

"Whoever in their right mind would say that I'm worried about you?" Akane snapped back.

"Whatever Akane."

All of a sudden the door in the dojo slid open. Kasumi was panting, she was trying to let her self breathe. "Kasumi is there something wrong?" Akane said as she walked over to Kasumi who was still huffing. "Ryoga…(huffing)…Ryoga." That was all Kasumi could say.

"What? What about Ryoga?" Akane asked in tense. As soon as Ranma heard Kasumi mention Ryoga's name he knew something was wrong. With the way that Kasumi was acting it was possible that something was wrong.

"What about Ryoga Kasumi? What's wrong? Where is he?" Ranma asked nervously. Ranma knows panic from just plain rumble. With what Ranma was feeling it wasn't panic, it wasn't an upcoming rumble either. If it were, Ryoga would have came out of nowhere and declared his famous line. For the first time Ranma was nervous not for Akane but for Ryoga. It was as if he picked up Kasumi's tension and felt how she felt.

"I saw Ryoga before he left for training. He told me he'd be gone for a while. When I asked him where he's going he said, he said…" Kasumi trailed off. "He said what Kasumi?" Akane asked.

"Come to the living room quickly." With that they started to run towards the living room. Everybody was there. Their eyes were fixated on the television. The newscaster was on a helicopter reporting on a story that included a flood.

"Okay Kasumi what's going on and what's wrong?" Akane asked calmly.

"When I saw Ryoga before he left he said he will be on a mountain training. The mountain was called Mt. Kato. He said it was somewhere over the south part of Japan. And now that same mountain he mentioned is on TV." Kasumi explained in a very worried expression.

Everybody was quiet for a while. They were listening to the newscaster, who was reporting the news.

" WE ARE NOW HERE IN MT. KATO ON THE SOUTH PART OF JAPAN TO REPORT A GROUNDBREAKING NEWS. IT LOOKED LIKE THE WHOLE PLACE BECAME AN OCEAN TWO DAYS AFTER THE DAM ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN COLLAPSED THEN LETTING OUT THE WATER AND FLOODING THE WHOLE PLACE. TO OUR VIEW FROM UP HERE IT LOOKS LIKE THIS IS A BIG DAMAGE AND THAT THIS FLOOD WILL GO ON FOR A WHILE.

NO WORD HAS BEEN HEARD FROM AUTHORITIES OF THE DISTRICT TO HOW MANY DAMAGES IT CAUSED AND IF THERE WERE ANY INJURIES.

ALL RESIDENTS OF THE NEARBY TOWN HAS EVACUATED AND AUTHORITIES ARE WAITING FOR THE STORM TO CLEAR UP. NO WORD ON HOW THE DAM COLLAPSED BUT WE WILL UPDATE ON THIS STORY. IT CAN BE THAT THIS FLOODING BECOMES A TRADEGY FOR SOME. AS OF NOW NO COUNTS OF INJURIES WHATSOEVER. STAY TUNED FOR THE UPDATE."

Kasumi face was covered with worry. It was unexplainable. She always thought that Ryoga was a nice boy and she became fond of him. Now she's worried to what might have happened to Ryoga. "Oh no Ranma what if Ryoga was still on the mountain?" Akane asked with a worried expression. "I'm sure Ryoga's fine. Don't worry too much I'm sure he's on his way here for our challenge." Ranma replied. He knew it was a lie and yet he was hoping that Ryoga would be at their front steps, safe. He lied to Kasumi and Akane and everybody else. He knew that Ryoga wouldn't be able to have survived that flood. Mostly if he turned into his cursed form. There was no way he would've survived. That would have been the end for him. Ranma was nervous, he was scared as hell. He was scared up to his guts.

He knew and he felt that this wouldn't be a carnival ride. The whole Nerima district was having it's own storm but not as damaging as to what happened to Mt. Kato on the south part.

He can sense the tension in the whole house. Everybody was concerned in his or her own way. Genma for his trip to the bar with Suon and Happossai who was suppose to be up with his schemes. Happossai knew all underwear would be inside the house and so he decided if he let the storm clear and wait for them to come out. Nabiki was suppose to collect payments from everyone who owed her money but she guess she'll need to put that aside for now. As for the rest of the people in the district of Nerima, it was just a stormy day.

"Ranma?" Akane called out in a worried look.

"Don't worry Akane, he'll be here. And I'll make sure that I beat him to a bloody pulp for our challenge." Ranma said teasingly. Another lie, he had to lie again. Akane managed to give out a smirk. It was a concerned smirk. One that looked like it wasn't either a happy or sad smirk.

It was just a smirk to cover her tension. Ranma managed to give her a slight smile, anything to Kasumi and Akane. He has to assure them everything will be fine and that anytime soon Ryoga will come out of nowhere screaming

" RANMA PREPARE TO DIE!"

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