Author's Note: Sorry it's been a while, but I haven't forgotten to update, see? :) Its kind of short, sorry, but there's more to come. The story may seem to be taking a different path, but it isn't. Keep reviewing! I love them! You've been so kind!
Ranma stirs in his sleep, feeling the blanket cling to his damp limbs. He opens his eyes and stares up at the tent ceiling. The sun was so bright, it was even glaring through the canvas. He wipes sweat from his forehead and sits up. "Oh my god, did we park this tent in the middle of a desert?" He fans himself with his pillow.
Ryoga is already up and shirtless beside him. "Morning. I was wondering how long it would take for you to get up. Its like a sauna in here!"
Ranma unbuttons his gi and slips it off his scortched shoulders. "This is the hottest its been in -ever-. What time is it?"
Ryoga found himself disagreeing with that statement but decided not to comment. "Only eight."
The pig-tailed boy slides out of his pants in front of a dumb founded Ryoga.
"W-what are you..?"
"Just getting into some shorts perv. You can't expect me to stay in black all day."
Ryoga blushes. "I wasn't thinking anything perverted." Though he wouldn't mind his friend staying in boxers all day..
"Mmm...tank..tank.."
"Huh?" The fanged boy observes as Ranma goes through his bag, tossing all sorts of things aside. "What are you doing in my stuff?"
"I need a tank top...Ahah!" He tugs a brown one out and pulls it over his head. He stares down at it. "A bit long for me.."
"Here." Without thinking Ryoga scoots forward and ties up the corner of the boy's shirt, leaving a nice two inches of stomach showing. "How's that?"
Ranma gives him an odd look but smiles none-the-less. "Okay." He holds up a matching tank top. "Here ya go."
"Thanks."
"Wanna know what I do on days kinda like this?"
"Uh, what?"
"Ice cream."
"Am I going to have to pay again?"
Ranma grins.
"Honestly."
"So that's a yes?"
"Ugh."
"Hey, you'll thank me for the idea."
--
Akane pauses outside the empty lot beside the dojo and eyes the tent at the center. She was quite sure Ranma was there this time. Nabiki said she saw him come here, though why she'd help was beyond her. She had to set things straight. She wasn't eager to, but somewhere deep down, she felt partly responsible for the previous night's mishap. 'Stupid Ranma. If he didn't galavant with every girl in town, I wouldn't have to go out of -my- way to fix things that are obviously his fault.' She takes a deep breath and marches across the lot. She pauses by the closed flap and pants her fists on her hips. "Okay Ranma, I'm here now, so spill it. What was so damned important that made you go to all your fiancees yesterday? Not that I don't already have a good guess. I came all the way out here to talk, so do it." Silence. Akane feels her temper begin to rise and tries to quell it. "You don't have to pretend. You're here, I know you are. Now stop being immature and get your butt out here." Still nothing. She grabs the flap and throws it open. Inside she finds two empty make-shift beds, a couple bags of clothes, and piles of blankets and pillows. So Ranma -had- been there. But where were the boys now? And why were they spending so much time together? Somewhere deep she felt a pang of jealousy. 'Why am I jealous over -this- out of all things? They're just friends. Why would I ever think there was anything between them? Ryoga's a boy for goodness sake.' Besides, she now had to go and find them, and that wasn't making her feel any happier.
--
"Hey, I was thinking..." Ryoga licks his chocolate icecream. "About taking a trip."
"Around the world on your way to the bathroom?" Ranma joked. They're both standing beside the vendor, soaking in the booth's shade.
"No," The bandana-clad boy snarled back. "More like an actual planned trip. Besides, I'm not -that- bad at finding my way."
Ranma lapped up his own icecream. "Well, you know, its true that you've improved since the last time I saw you. Your ability to get places now allows you to return to your tent -and- the dojo. Congratulations. Where are you thinking of going?"
"Well, to China."
The pigtailed boy stares. "You're kidding me, right?"
"No, why would I?"
"Its too expensive! You can't just walk there, otherwise I would have."
"Well," Ryoga finished his cone. "Ukyou offered to pay for us. She thinks trying to find the right pond in Jusenkyo will be fun. What do you think?" He watched his friend's face screw up, as if he was trying to solve a large equation.
"Um...I guess it would be great to get out and away, and it would give me some time to train, and..."
"And..?"
Ranma's face lit up. "Of course when we come back we'll be cured! Then Akane can't hold my curse against me."
"Yeah.." Ryoga had been hoping Akane would be forgotten. He shrugs. "So, I take it you're up for the challenge?"
"Yes!"
"Then lets get outta here!"
Together they head for Ucchan's, finished with their breakfast and hungry for the open air and freedom of China.
Ranma stirs in his sleep, feeling the blanket cling to his damp limbs. He opens his eyes and stares up at the tent ceiling. The sun was so bright, it was even glaring through the canvas. He wipes sweat from his forehead and sits up. "Oh my god, did we park this tent in the middle of a desert?" He fans himself with his pillow.
Ryoga is already up and shirtless beside him. "Morning. I was wondering how long it would take for you to get up. Its like a sauna in here!"
Ranma unbuttons his gi and slips it off his scortched shoulders. "This is the hottest its been in -ever-. What time is it?"
Ryoga found himself disagreeing with that statement but decided not to comment. "Only eight."
The pig-tailed boy slides out of his pants in front of a dumb founded Ryoga.
"W-what are you..?"
"Just getting into some shorts perv. You can't expect me to stay in black all day."
Ryoga blushes. "I wasn't thinking anything perverted." Though he wouldn't mind his friend staying in boxers all day..
"Mmm...tank..tank.."
"Huh?" The fanged boy observes as Ranma goes through his bag, tossing all sorts of things aside. "What are you doing in my stuff?"
"I need a tank top...Ahah!" He tugs a brown one out and pulls it over his head. He stares down at it. "A bit long for me.."
"Here." Without thinking Ryoga scoots forward and ties up the corner of the boy's shirt, leaving a nice two inches of stomach showing. "How's that?"
Ranma gives him an odd look but smiles none-the-less. "Okay." He holds up a matching tank top. "Here ya go."
"Thanks."
"Wanna know what I do on days kinda like this?"
"Uh, what?"
"Ice cream."
"Am I going to have to pay again?"
Ranma grins.
"Honestly."
"So that's a yes?"
"Ugh."
"Hey, you'll thank me for the idea."
--
Akane pauses outside the empty lot beside the dojo and eyes the tent at the center. She was quite sure Ranma was there this time. Nabiki said she saw him come here, though why she'd help was beyond her. She had to set things straight. She wasn't eager to, but somewhere deep down, she felt partly responsible for the previous night's mishap. 'Stupid Ranma. If he didn't galavant with every girl in town, I wouldn't have to go out of -my- way to fix things that are obviously his fault.' She takes a deep breath and marches across the lot. She pauses by the closed flap and pants her fists on her hips. "Okay Ranma, I'm here now, so spill it. What was so damned important that made you go to all your fiancees yesterday? Not that I don't already have a good guess. I came all the way out here to talk, so do it." Silence. Akane feels her temper begin to rise and tries to quell it. "You don't have to pretend. You're here, I know you are. Now stop being immature and get your butt out here." Still nothing. She grabs the flap and throws it open. Inside she finds two empty make-shift beds, a couple bags of clothes, and piles of blankets and pillows. So Ranma -had- been there. But where were the boys now? And why were they spending so much time together? Somewhere deep she felt a pang of jealousy. 'Why am I jealous over -this- out of all things? They're just friends. Why would I ever think there was anything between them? Ryoga's a boy for goodness sake.' Besides, she now had to go and find them, and that wasn't making her feel any happier.
--
"Hey, I was thinking..." Ryoga licks his chocolate icecream. "About taking a trip."
"Around the world on your way to the bathroom?" Ranma joked. They're both standing beside the vendor, soaking in the booth's shade.
"No," The bandana-clad boy snarled back. "More like an actual planned trip. Besides, I'm not -that- bad at finding my way."
Ranma lapped up his own icecream. "Well, you know, its true that you've improved since the last time I saw you. Your ability to get places now allows you to return to your tent -and- the dojo. Congratulations. Where are you thinking of going?"
"Well, to China."
The pigtailed boy stares. "You're kidding me, right?"
"No, why would I?"
"Its too expensive! You can't just walk there, otherwise I would have."
"Well," Ryoga finished his cone. "Ukyou offered to pay for us. She thinks trying to find the right pond in Jusenkyo will be fun. What do you think?" He watched his friend's face screw up, as if he was trying to solve a large equation.
"Um...I guess it would be great to get out and away, and it would give me some time to train, and..."
"And..?"
Ranma's face lit up. "Of course when we come back we'll be cured! Then Akane can't hold my curse against me."
"Yeah.." Ryoga had been hoping Akane would be forgotten. He shrugs. "So, I take it you're up for the challenge?"
"Yes!"
"Then lets get outta here!"
Together they head for Ucchan's, finished with their breakfast and hungry for the open air and freedom of China.