The Heart Sutra
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic
By Ashoka Roque
Disclaimer: These characters, with the exception of Ti Xiu, belong to Rumiko Takahashi, not me. While I have put them in situations that diverge somewhat from the original storyline, I have done so with intent to avoid compromising the integrity of her work. I make no profit from this story. The character of Ti Xiu is my own creation
Warning: PG. Slightly harsh language
----------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter Three: Confrontation
Akane left early for school the next day, wanting to help some of her friends prepare for the all-city girl's softball tournament that afternoon. Ranma expected to be walking to school alone when he left at the usual time, but was surprised to see Ryouga waiting outside for him.
"~Ohayo, Ranma-kun~" said Ryouga, lifting his hand to scratch the back of his head. "I wanted to go see Akane and her friends play ball this afternoon. I was wondering if I could walk with you to the school?"
"Afraid of getting lost, neh?"
"You know I am," snapped Ryouga, "Why do you insist on asking? Just to embarrass me!"
"Okay, okay, gee - - I was just making conversation. Sure, walk with me. I don't care."
The boys walked together in silence alongside the canal that ran through the center of town. The friendly mood from the evening before seemed to be returning to the normal, antagonistic relationship the two had shared for so many years. Even so, Ryouga apparently wanted Ranma's ear, as well as his superior sense of direction.
"Say, Ranma-kun, what do you think about what the old sensei said last night? About the Jushenko springs giving us the bodies we need to have?"
"Seems to make perfect sense to me," said Ranma, casually.
"Huh - how so?"
"Well, you turn into a little pig when you get wet. Pigs are known to be selfish, dull and stupid. Pretty much sums you up, wouldn't you say?"
Ryouga stopped walking, disgusted. For years, he had wanted to have just one heart-to-heart with Ranma - just once! Oh, he still wanted his revenge, of course, but...where in the world was there another single person who would understand - even a little - the powerless feeling the Jushenko curse gave to a young man? Dealing with an adolescent body, and adolescent feelings, was bad enough. But having this curse to deal with, too. During his many solitary days and nights, wandering aimlessly, Ryouga had realized that while he might on some level really hate Ranma, he didn't hate himself any less. In a perverse way, Ranma was his closest friend in the world.
Baka- baka- baka! Ryouga told himself, striking his face with his own fist. How foolish, to think that even after last night - actually, one of the happiest evenings he had spent in so many years - he could trust Ranma with his true feelings! Hibiki Ryouga could trust no one in this world, least of all Hibiki Ryouga. Or Saotome Ranma.
Ranma looked on curiously, hiding his growing concern at Ryouga's self-abuse, when something inside of Ryouga snapped.
"Oh, well, I guess you are right, Ranma-kun," said Ryouga quietly, still looking at his feet, the blood dripping from the self-inflicted cut above his left eye.
"Huh?"
"Well, it must be true, what the sensei said. After all, YOU turn into a perky young girl - the object of men's sexual desires, neh?"
Ranma tensed. "I don't like where you are going with this, Ryouga."
"Oh, I am sure you don't, Ranma-chan," said Ryouga, looking up. "I may be a stupid, lost pig-boy, but I am not blind! I see how you act - the way you avoid all your fiancees, yet somehow manage to put your female self into compromising situations with attractive young men."
"I am warning you, Ryouga!!" growled Ranma, a dangerous look coming into his eyes.
"And I certainly see the way you look at me when I am getting out of the bath. Why, even last night..."
"RYOUGAAAH!" screamed Ranma, launching himself at the other boy.
Ryouga had been expecting this all along. The ensuing fight was not the typical martial-arts slugfest the boys usually engaged in. It was a close-body, savage rending of clothes, hair and flesh as each boy tried to literally dismember the other with nothing more than his bare hands.
The fight was cut short when the two boys rolled into the canal.
Ranma felt the familiar loosening of his clothing as his body grew smaller, then the slightly sickening feeling as breasts grew on his chest. Finally, most gut-wrenching of all, the feeling as his penis and testicles turned themselves inside out, like some type of horrid, horrid origami creation, into female body parts. No matter how many times he experienced it, Ranma's psyche screamed in helpless agony.
The only kindness was that the transformation was over so quickly.
Downstream, P-chan scrambled onto the bank of the canal. No-no-no!! he thought, in utter terror. Not now, not now! Ranma-chan may be weaker as a girl, but she is still capable of killing me very easily as a pig. My only chance is to find Akane before Ranma finds me!
Fortunately, Furinkan High was within sight, even for a small pig. P-chan moved as fast as his legs could go towards the school.
Things at Furinkan High were in total chaos.
Shortly before the first bell, just as the halls were most crowded, Akane heard the familiar "Kwee!" of her pet. Looking around, she noticed her friend Kiko was holding her Piggachu doll at arms-length.
"Kiko," said Akane, a little irritated, "Please stop squeezing that thing. It gives me a headache."
"But I'm NOT squeezing it, Akane-chan," protested Kiko, "It's doing this by itself!"
Down the hall, another of the dolls began to "Kwee!" on its own, repeatedly. Then, another one, from the other end of the hall. Within seconds, a chorus of "kwee-ing" dolls grew in volume and number. Worse yet, the sound from each doll grew louder as they all spontaneously "kwee'd" despite the best efforts of all the students to get them to stop. The sound began to hurt Akane's ears, badly, and she started to feel dizzy.
Man - this is getting serious, she thought, as she tried to stagger to the door, hoping to escape the torrent of sound.
A girl next to Kiko fell to the floor, a thin stream of blood trickling from her ears.
Above the din, a voice came through on the school's PA system. Barely understandable, Akane heard Principle Kuno instructing all students to evacuate the building, leaving the malfunctioning dolls inside.
As the students fled the building, no one could have noticed that P-chan, too, had collapsed on the floor. Having made it almost to Akane's side, he had been betrayed by his own body yet again, as the superior hearing of a pig made the sound assault even more excruciating for him than for the human victims.
He's headed for Akane, the little bastard! thought Ranma, as she ran to the school. That won't save him this time!
But the terrible scene of chaos that greeted Ranma when she arrived at the school made her forget her anger. Ranma was stunned as she saw the students coming out of the building, leading themselves by twos and threes. Her first thought, in horror, was of those American school shootings, like they had seen on TV Tokyo last year. No! she thought, It can't be! Those types of things never happen in Japan! The thought of her friends, or teachers, or worst - the Tendo girls- gunned down made her stop in her tracks, sick to her stomach.
Then, she saw Akane. Rushing to her side, Ranma was somewhat relieved to hear what had really happened.
"Fortunately, no one has been seriously hurt," said Akane, glad the ordeal was drawing to a close. "Principle Kuno had men with earguards collect up all the Piggachu dolls and take them out behind the school to be burned."
Burn...the Piggachus... Ranma was afraid to ask, but knew she had to, "Uh, Akane, did you see P-chan this morning?"
"No, what.. what are you talking about, Ranma?"
"Well, I just saw him running here towards the school. You know how he sometimes follows you into class. I was sure he would have caught up to you by now."
"Oh no!" cried Akane, her face draining of blood, "You don't suppose he is inside?"
P-chan awoke to the feeling of something sticky hitting his body. The horrible noise had died down somewhat, though it was still uncomfortably loud.
"What is this, blood?" thought Ryouga, "Where am I?"
Then, P-chan smelled smoke. The acrid smoke of some type of cheap, man-made fabric being burned.
Concludes in Chapter Four: Confession
C&C welcome - ashoro@excite.com