||Chapter 1|| So Close, And Yet So Far Away
"Ranma!" Ukyo yelled in surprise as she ran out of her restaurant. She couldn't believe what had just happened. Mousse had beaten Ranma! It wasn't the way that he'd crashed into the wall or the flash of energy that had caught her attention, it was the way in which Mousse was in complete, calm, control. It was almost like watching Ranma's own complete self-confidence, but as surprising as Happosai decided to join the boy-scouts. It started out normally enough, but this was the most impossible outcome Ukyo could have contemplated.
Mousse had charged in yelling some outrageous claim, interrupting Ranma's meal, demanding that the matter be settled immediately. Ranma accepted Mousse's challenge without a second thought, after all he could wipe the floor with the chinaman without even trying, or so Ranma had thought. He had been wrong, dead wrong.
Ukyo could barely think as she reached the end of the street and began shoveling debris out of the way with her oversized spatula. She had one panicky thought, to find Ranma. 'Oh, Ran-chan!' she thought, using her childhood nickname for him, 'I don't believe this! You were just sitting there in front of me a few minutes ago!'
Ukyo almost collapsed in relief as she found some cloth, which was followed by a body, that of Ranma Saotome. 'Don't die on me, Ranma darling!' Ukyo thought as she scooped him up and took him to the closest person that could help her, Dr. Tofu.
* * * * * * * * * *
Dr. Tofu took the unconscious form of Ranma as he tried to comfort Ukyo, the poor girl was nearly hysterical. 'Maybe she could use a dose of the medicine I *just* gave Ryoga.' Dr. Tofu thought wryly, "Calm down Ukyo, Ranma will be just fine. He's only unconscious, although he'll be sore when he wakes, there isn't all that much to be worried about."
"Oh-OK.." Ukyo stammered as she fought to regain control, she took several deep breaths and found that it helped immensely.
"That's right. In, out... In, out." Dr. Tofu encouraged her, although he was more intent on examining Ranma's various lacerations and contusions, "There's a chair in the back room next to Ryoga, if you need to sit down."
The not-so-subtle suggestion was almost lost on her, and then she understood what he was getting at, she must look awful. Then the rest of the statement hit her, 'Ryoga?' She went into the next room, not for the chair she told herself, but to see Ryoga.
Seeing Ryoga laying there helpless was a shock, while there didn't appear to be any physical damage it was obvious to her that he'd recently had the sense beaten out of him. 'Look at that... poor boy, all he can do is lay there and drool.'
"Dr. Tofu, who brought Ryoga in?" Ukyo hoped that the doctor would answer, Akane, or Kuno, a stranger, or that he had, by some miracle, found his way here by himself. All her hopes shattered as she heard the doctor's reply.
"Oh, Mousse brought him in earlier today." The doctor said as he cleaned Ranma's scrapes and cuts.
That was it, Mousse had defeated both Ryoga and Ranma, she couldn't quite keep from collapsing into the chair. 'How? Is it magic? Could he have done some new training?' Ukyo wondered, but those answers weren't acceptable to her. She couldn't believe that Mousse could improve so much in such a short time, even with intensive training or the help of magic. 'Maybe, maybe he's always been holding back.' That thought made even less sense seeing his devotion and drive to win Shampoo.
* * * * * * * * * *
Meanwhile, Soun and Genma were bored out of their minds. Nabiki had quite adamantly forced everyone out of the house and they had wound up escorting Akane, Kasumi, and now Shampoo while the three girls did some shopping. Genma scratched his head while he wondered how Shampoo had managed to join the little group, all he'd done was order a ramen delivery and she'd somehow not only stayed with them for the past hour-and-a-half but convinced Kasumi and Akane to buy several silken pantsuits like her own.
Shampoo smiled as she convinced Akane to beg her father for another 'cute' article of clothing and then retreated to stand next to Genma. "Great- grandmother be proud when Shampoo tell about practicing 'Force of Will' technique! Ranma no stand chance of resisting Shampoo now!" Shampoo turned to Genma, who had just emitted an "Urk!"
"What panda-man problem?" Shampoo asked, not even realizing she'd been gloating aloud moments before.
Genma couldn't believe it, the girl was practicing the dreaded 'Force of Will' technique! He'd never heard of it before but if the Old Ghoul, her great-grandmother, was teaching her any new techniques then they were obviously dreaded. He would have to get into action and find a counter for Ranma to use, something like this called for him to go to a most dangerous place, a place where mortals could be easily lost for days, a place of unparalleled peril. Even he, Genma Saotome of the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts, a master of the Art feared the public library. But it was the only way he could help his only son, he would have to let Soun know, just in case he didn't make it back.
"Tendo!" Genma whispered harshly to Soun Tendo as he got into range.
"What is it Saotome?" Soun asked noting the look of urgency on his friend's face before he started to panic. "Did you see the Master? Did he see us?" "No, The Master's not here! But something's come up and I've got to go." Genma replied, reliving the abject terror that Soun was throwing himself into at the mere thought of Grand Master Happosai. Genma took a breath and then decided that he had to tell Soun. "I've got to go to the library."
"The library! Are you mad?!" Soun yelled excitedly. "You remember what happened the last time you were there... and those books aren't getting any less due."
"I know, Soun, I know, but it may be the only thing that I can do to save my boy." Genma said with an almost fatalistic resignation. It would defiantly be the crown of his achievements as a martial artist.
* * * * * * * * * *
At very nearly the same time, in a universe that was is some ways the same, but in other ways extremely bizarre by our own standards. One where the predominate difference, in fact the defining difference, was that one important person was born a female instead of a male. No! Not Jesus! Ranma! Gee can't anybody build a little drama? *Sigh* Anyway, on with the story.
Ranma pulled himself from under the pile of debris only to come face to face with Mousse. 'Oh no!' was the only thing he thought as Mousse lunged at him.
"Ranma! You're ok!" Mousse said in the enthusiastic manner he reserved for Shampoo as he hugged Ranma.
"What?" was all Ranma could get out. Mousse had just been attacking him and now he was hugging him! "Mousse, cut that out!" Ranma said as he struggled to free himself.
"I'm just glad Shampoo didn't hurt you!" Mousse said, with the same concerned enthusiasim as before.
"Let go of me, I can take care of myself!" Ranma shouted as he erupted from Mousse's arms.
Seeing Ranma burst from Mousses arms, Shampoo yelled "Stupid girl-boy no know when stay down!"
"I wish you two wouldn't fight so much. One of theses days you won't fight to a standstill, and you know what happens if you win." Mouse sighed at stating the obvious, but sometimes Ranma just didn't think when she got excited. "The kiss of death, remember?"
Ranma almost missed the blocking Shampoo's attack. She was going all out on him, Ranma thought in surprise as he dodged and blocked the attacks with ease. It wasn't nearly the challenge Ryoga or Mousse gave him, but it was more than either Kuno gave him normally, almost like a good workout.
Mousse's jaw dropped as he saw the ease and confidence with which Ranma fighting Shampoo. 'She's really been holding back a lot.'
Ranma was slowly wearing Shampoo out, though not in any way that would be declared a win, but in that way that showed that he easily could have had he chosen to do so when someone came to join the fight. Though Ranma would never suspected that he'd hear Kuno saying what he was saying... 'Wait! What am I thinking? This is Kuno! Nothing he says should surprise you.'
"Fear not my beautiful blue-haired beauty!!" Kuno announced his presance again, this time adding his signature bad title "I, the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High, shall defend you're honor, my full-bosomed and exotic Shampoo!" Shampoos eyes seemed to go wide in apprehension for a moment.
With that shout Kuno entered the fray, or would have if three heavy objects attached with chains hadn't suddenly wrapped themselves around him and his sword. 'Ranma may have been holding back but she's still probably no match for two martial artists.' Mouse thought as he began to oppose the newcomer.
After ten minutes Ranma decided he'd had enough. He was just going to go home, take a bath, and go to bed hoping things would return to what passed for normal in his life. A few dodges, a rope, and a Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken later he left the three other combatants tied up as he jumped from rooftop to rooftop in the fastest route to the Tendo Dojo as he could think of.
* * * * * * * * * *
Oddly enough Ranma slept in, his father hadn't even aroused him when he came in. Ranma looked over to where his father normally slept only to see empty floor. 'That's strange, did pops even come home last night?' Ranma wondered as he made his way to the bathroom to wash up for breakfast. 'Dad doesn't usually stay out all night. Maybe he went out drinking till late and didn't come home.'
Kasumi, Nabiki, and Mr. Tendo were sitting at the table waiting for breakfast when Ranma joined them. Mr. Tendo was reading the paper and grunted in greeting not even looking up. Nabiki was busy reading a book and didn't seem to register Ranma's presence. Akane said "good Morning" as she looked up at Ranma with some unspoken question in her eyes and told him that Kasumi would have breakfast ready in ten minutes. It kind of irritated Ranma, how could he answer her question without it being asked? It was then that Ranma saw his father practicing a kata in the back yard near the little fish pond.
"Hey pop!" Ranma yelled at his father, usually he would just surprise- attack him, but it was rather rude to interrupt a kata like that. So, in an uncharacteristically polite move, Ranma announced his intention to spar his father.
"Well, Ranma, if you're sure you want to, but be warned, I'm not going to go lightly on you!" His father replied with genuine smile that Ranma somehow found disturbing. With a battle yell they both launched into the air... only to have Genma fly into the fish pond triggering his transformation.
"Oh my!" Came Kasumi's voice from the porch as the panda dragged itself out of the fish pond. "That wasn't a very nice thing to do to your father, Ranma." She said in a plain voice that somehow seemed to hurt more that the worst tirades and lectures his father gave him. "Anyway, breakfast is ready."
"Grower!" the panda held up a sign that said 'Thank you, Kasumi.' then turned it around and it read 'Don't be too hard on her, it's that time of the month.'
Kasumi giggled when she read the sign, "Oh, I see. I suppose you'll want some hot water Mr. Saotome." the panda just flipped the sign back to its original position thanking Kasumi.
Ranma was rather puzzled at that, it wasn't that it was out of character for his dad to say something inappropriate, but it seemed almost like his dad was going light on him and Kasumi actually giggling!
Everyone ate breakfast quietly, which suited Ranma just fine, he wasn't even hungry enough to eat some of his dad's food. When everyone had finished Ranma was about to head out to school when he remembered that it was Saturday. With a grin he headed out on the town to get a couple of manga and just waste time relaxing.
* * * * * * * * * *
*Gwrol!* Ranma looked down at the money in his hand it wasn't enough to get a decent meal, unless... Ranma smiled, sometimes his curse wasn't all that bad, heck, sometimes he was tempted to say that anything that got him extra food couldn't be all that bad. 'Oh, man! I've got to quit thinking like that or I'll end up like pops!' *Gwrol!* 'Ok, I'm going!' Ranma thought to his discontent stomach as he made for the nearest food stand.
Not five minutes later Ranma had sated his empty stomach. 'Wow. I knew I was hungry, but not that hungry.' Ranma thought as he made his way back to the dojo, still in his girl form.
When Ranma stepped into his room he dropped his bags and dropped to the futon for a nice afternoon nap, not even bothering to ghange into a guy. Ranma smiled as he went to sleep.
Ranma was awakened what seemed moments later by a knock on the door and Kasumi's voice drifted through the door, "Ranma there's somebody here to see you."
Ranma was up and groggily making 'her' way down the stairs. Though, when he saw who it was his eyes flew open and all thoughts of sleep left his mind.
"Ryoga! What are you doing here?" Ranma asked as he went into a defective stance.
"I was... I mean... Waiting, " Ryoga smiled that embarrassed smile and fumbled in his pack to hold out a package. "This is for you Ranma."
Ranma took the box from him and after a minute trying to decipher the package Ryoga spoke up. "They're German chocolates... from Germany." Ryoga blushed thinking of how stupid that must sound, 'Gah! German chocolates... from Germany. Of course they are! You idiot, Ryoga!'
'I wonder if it's poison...' Ranma thought cynically. 'No, Ryoga is no Kodachi, and he'd want to finish me off with his bare hands.'
An unenthusiastic "Thank you." was all Ranma could manage. Then when he saw how that seemed to crush Ryoga he mustered up some sincerity and said, "No, really thank you. I've just been having a rough time lately." With that Ryoga seemed to go from being the embodiment of a dark, stormy day to that of a warm, sunny spring afternoon. 'Boy, Ryoga, you really do wear your emotions on your sleeve, don't you? I wonder if this is your way of apologizing.'
Ryoga's expression clouded over for a moment as he struggled to say something. "Ranma, I... you. Someday, would you..." Ryoga trailed off mumbling.
"What was that Ryoga?"
Ryoga blushed furiously, as he laughed trying to shift attention away from what he found embarrassing, literally laughing it off. "Oh, nothing. Nothing at all Ranma." He blurted out so fast it was obvious that he wasn't being truthful, but only because he didn't want to be more embarrassed.
"Ryoga! My boy!" Mr. Saotome greeted suddenly. Causing both Ranma and Ryoga to jump in surprise. "I see you've found Ranma. You weren't thinking of asking my daughter on a date were you?" He said as he added a wink at Ryoga and Ranma.
Screams of "Gya! N-no, sir!" and "Dad!!" filled the room as Mr. Saotome broke into a grin and laughed. "Okay then, I'll just leave you two lovebirds alone." He said as he walked away.
"I'll get you for that!" Ranma shouted, nearly stumbling on Ryoga as he tried to catch him.
Ranma stopped and looked back at Ryoga who looked like he was going to either pee his pants or pass out. Luckily he didn't do either, and just said something unintelligible as he mechanically picked up his pack and began absently saying how he had to be going. Then he suddenly seemed to snap back to normal as he came on a thought.
"Ranma, I'm sorry about missing you at the lot..." Ryoga said and then choked out, "And the incident... at school." Ryoga said a final "I'm sorry." before breaking into a run... straight into the closet.
Ranma stood there stunned, Ryoga had just apologized, the one constant in Ranma's world had just eroded away and Ranma Knew that this had to be some kind of illusion or dream... but it all felt so real, he couldn't tell reality from unreality anymore.
"Damn you, Ryoga! This is all your fault!" Ranma screamed into the air as loud as he could.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ok, so maybe I should have split this up into two chapters. Yes, things are quite different than Ranma is used to, things are so familiar, yet so alien. The next chapter should clear up some of the divergences, and we'll all get a look of how the female Ranma is handling the other universe's own craziness.
Comments & Criticisms are welcome. efish@cs.nmsu.edu
"Ranma!" Ukyo yelled in surprise as she ran out of her restaurant. She couldn't believe what had just happened. Mousse had beaten Ranma! It wasn't the way that he'd crashed into the wall or the flash of energy that had caught her attention, it was the way in which Mousse was in complete, calm, control. It was almost like watching Ranma's own complete self-confidence, but as surprising as Happosai decided to join the boy-scouts. It started out normally enough, but this was the most impossible outcome Ukyo could have contemplated.
Mousse had charged in yelling some outrageous claim, interrupting Ranma's meal, demanding that the matter be settled immediately. Ranma accepted Mousse's challenge without a second thought, after all he could wipe the floor with the chinaman without even trying, or so Ranma had thought. He had been wrong, dead wrong.
Ukyo could barely think as she reached the end of the street and began shoveling debris out of the way with her oversized spatula. She had one panicky thought, to find Ranma. 'Oh, Ran-chan!' she thought, using her childhood nickname for him, 'I don't believe this! You were just sitting there in front of me a few minutes ago!'
Ukyo almost collapsed in relief as she found some cloth, which was followed by a body, that of Ranma Saotome. 'Don't die on me, Ranma darling!' Ukyo thought as she scooped him up and took him to the closest person that could help her, Dr. Tofu.
* * * * * * * * * *
Dr. Tofu took the unconscious form of Ranma as he tried to comfort Ukyo, the poor girl was nearly hysterical. 'Maybe she could use a dose of the medicine I *just* gave Ryoga.' Dr. Tofu thought wryly, "Calm down Ukyo, Ranma will be just fine. He's only unconscious, although he'll be sore when he wakes, there isn't all that much to be worried about."
"Oh-OK.." Ukyo stammered as she fought to regain control, she took several deep breaths and found that it helped immensely.
"That's right. In, out... In, out." Dr. Tofu encouraged her, although he was more intent on examining Ranma's various lacerations and contusions, "There's a chair in the back room next to Ryoga, if you need to sit down."
The not-so-subtle suggestion was almost lost on her, and then she understood what he was getting at, she must look awful. Then the rest of the statement hit her, 'Ryoga?' She went into the next room, not for the chair she told herself, but to see Ryoga.
Seeing Ryoga laying there helpless was a shock, while there didn't appear to be any physical damage it was obvious to her that he'd recently had the sense beaten out of him. 'Look at that... poor boy, all he can do is lay there and drool.'
"Dr. Tofu, who brought Ryoga in?" Ukyo hoped that the doctor would answer, Akane, or Kuno, a stranger, or that he had, by some miracle, found his way here by himself. All her hopes shattered as she heard the doctor's reply.
"Oh, Mousse brought him in earlier today." The doctor said as he cleaned Ranma's scrapes and cuts.
That was it, Mousse had defeated both Ryoga and Ranma, she couldn't quite keep from collapsing into the chair. 'How? Is it magic? Could he have done some new training?' Ukyo wondered, but those answers weren't acceptable to her. She couldn't believe that Mousse could improve so much in such a short time, even with intensive training or the help of magic. 'Maybe, maybe he's always been holding back.' That thought made even less sense seeing his devotion and drive to win Shampoo.
* * * * * * * * * *
Meanwhile, Soun and Genma were bored out of their minds. Nabiki had quite adamantly forced everyone out of the house and they had wound up escorting Akane, Kasumi, and now Shampoo while the three girls did some shopping. Genma scratched his head while he wondered how Shampoo had managed to join the little group, all he'd done was order a ramen delivery and she'd somehow not only stayed with them for the past hour-and-a-half but convinced Kasumi and Akane to buy several silken pantsuits like her own.
Shampoo smiled as she convinced Akane to beg her father for another 'cute' article of clothing and then retreated to stand next to Genma. "Great- grandmother be proud when Shampoo tell about practicing 'Force of Will' technique! Ranma no stand chance of resisting Shampoo now!" Shampoo turned to Genma, who had just emitted an "Urk!"
"What panda-man problem?" Shampoo asked, not even realizing she'd been gloating aloud moments before.
Genma couldn't believe it, the girl was practicing the dreaded 'Force of Will' technique! He'd never heard of it before but if the Old Ghoul, her great-grandmother, was teaching her any new techniques then they were obviously dreaded. He would have to get into action and find a counter for Ranma to use, something like this called for him to go to a most dangerous place, a place where mortals could be easily lost for days, a place of unparalleled peril. Even he, Genma Saotome of the Saotome School of Anything Goes Martial Arts, a master of the Art feared the public library. But it was the only way he could help his only son, he would have to let Soun know, just in case he didn't make it back.
"Tendo!" Genma whispered harshly to Soun Tendo as he got into range.
"What is it Saotome?" Soun asked noting the look of urgency on his friend's face before he started to panic. "Did you see the Master? Did he see us?" "No, The Master's not here! But something's come up and I've got to go." Genma replied, reliving the abject terror that Soun was throwing himself into at the mere thought of Grand Master Happosai. Genma took a breath and then decided that he had to tell Soun. "I've got to go to the library."
"The library! Are you mad?!" Soun yelled excitedly. "You remember what happened the last time you were there... and those books aren't getting any less due."
"I know, Soun, I know, but it may be the only thing that I can do to save my boy." Genma said with an almost fatalistic resignation. It would defiantly be the crown of his achievements as a martial artist.
* * * * * * * * * *
At very nearly the same time, in a universe that was is some ways the same, but in other ways extremely bizarre by our own standards. One where the predominate difference, in fact the defining difference, was that one important person was born a female instead of a male. No! Not Jesus! Ranma! Gee can't anybody build a little drama? *Sigh* Anyway, on with the story.
Ranma pulled himself from under the pile of debris only to come face to face with Mousse. 'Oh no!' was the only thing he thought as Mousse lunged at him.
"Ranma! You're ok!" Mousse said in the enthusiastic manner he reserved for Shampoo as he hugged Ranma.
"What?" was all Ranma could get out. Mousse had just been attacking him and now he was hugging him! "Mousse, cut that out!" Ranma said as he struggled to free himself.
"I'm just glad Shampoo didn't hurt you!" Mousse said, with the same concerned enthusiasim as before.
"Let go of me, I can take care of myself!" Ranma shouted as he erupted from Mousse's arms.
Seeing Ranma burst from Mousses arms, Shampoo yelled "Stupid girl-boy no know when stay down!"
"I wish you two wouldn't fight so much. One of theses days you won't fight to a standstill, and you know what happens if you win." Mouse sighed at stating the obvious, but sometimes Ranma just didn't think when she got excited. "The kiss of death, remember?"
Ranma almost missed the blocking Shampoo's attack. She was going all out on him, Ranma thought in surprise as he dodged and blocked the attacks with ease. It wasn't nearly the challenge Ryoga or Mousse gave him, but it was more than either Kuno gave him normally, almost like a good workout.
Mousse's jaw dropped as he saw the ease and confidence with which Ranma fighting Shampoo. 'She's really been holding back a lot.'
Ranma was slowly wearing Shampoo out, though not in any way that would be declared a win, but in that way that showed that he easily could have had he chosen to do so when someone came to join the fight. Though Ranma would never suspected that he'd hear Kuno saying what he was saying... 'Wait! What am I thinking? This is Kuno! Nothing he says should surprise you.'
"Fear not my beautiful blue-haired beauty!!" Kuno announced his presance again, this time adding his signature bad title "I, the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High, shall defend you're honor, my full-bosomed and exotic Shampoo!" Shampoos eyes seemed to go wide in apprehension for a moment.
With that shout Kuno entered the fray, or would have if three heavy objects attached with chains hadn't suddenly wrapped themselves around him and his sword. 'Ranma may have been holding back but she's still probably no match for two martial artists.' Mouse thought as he began to oppose the newcomer.
After ten minutes Ranma decided he'd had enough. He was just going to go home, take a bath, and go to bed hoping things would return to what passed for normal in his life. A few dodges, a rope, and a Kachu Tenshin Amaguriken later he left the three other combatants tied up as he jumped from rooftop to rooftop in the fastest route to the Tendo Dojo as he could think of.
* * * * * * * * * *
Oddly enough Ranma slept in, his father hadn't even aroused him when he came in. Ranma looked over to where his father normally slept only to see empty floor. 'That's strange, did pops even come home last night?' Ranma wondered as he made his way to the bathroom to wash up for breakfast. 'Dad doesn't usually stay out all night. Maybe he went out drinking till late and didn't come home.'
Kasumi, Nabiki, and Mr. Tendo were sitting at the table waiting for breakfast when Ranma joined them. Mr. Tendo was reading the paper and grunted in greeting not even looking up. Nabiki was busy reading a book and didn't seem to register Ranma's presence. Akane said "good Morning" as she looked up at Ranma with some unspoken question in her eyes and told him that Kasumi would have breakfast ready in ten minutes. It kind of irritated Ranma, how could he answer her question without it being asked? It was then that Ranma saw his father practicing a kata in the back yard near the little fish pond.
"Hey pop!" Ranma yelled at his father, usually he would just surprise- attack him, but it was rather rude to interrupt a kata like that. So, in an uncharacteristically polite move, Ranma announced his intention to spar his father.
"Well, Ranma, if you're sure you want to, but be warned, I'm not going to go lightly on you!" His father replied with genuine smile that Ranma somehow found disturbing. With a battle yell they both launched into the air... only to have Genma fly into the fish pond triggering his transformation.
"Oh my!" Came Kasumi's voice from the porch as the panda dragged itself out of the fish pond. "That wasn't a very nice thing to do to your father, Ranma." She said in a plain voice that somehow seemed to hurt more that the worst tirades and lectures his father gave him. "Anyway, breakfast is ready."
"Grower!" the panda held up a sign that said 'Thank you, Kasumi.' then turned it around and it read 'Don't be too hard on her, it's that time of the month.'
Kasumi giggled when she read the sign, "Oh, I see. I suppose you'll want some hot water Mr. Saotome." the panda just flipped the sign back to its original position thanking Kasumi.
Ranma was rather puzzled at that, it wasn't that it was out of character for his dad to say something inappropriate, but it seemed almost like his dad was going light on him and Kasumi actually giggling!
Everyone ate breakfast quietly, which suited Ranma just fine, he wasn't even hungry enough to eat some of his dad's food. When everyone had finished Ranma was about to head out to school when he remembered that it was Saturday. With a grin he headed out on the town to get a couple of manga and just waste time relaxing.
* * * * * * * * * *
*Gwrol!* Ranma looked down at the money in his hand it wasn't enough to get a decent meal, unless... Ranma smiled, sometimes his curse wasn't all that bad, heck, sometimes he was tempted to say that anything that got him extra food couldn't be all that bad. 'Oh, man! I've got to quit thinking like that or I'll end up like pops!' *Gwrol!* 'Ok, I'm going!' Ranma thought to his discontent stomach as he made for the nearest food stand.
Not five minutes later Ranma had sated his empty stomach. 'Wow. I knew I was hungry, but not that hungry.' Ranma thought as he made his way back to the dojo, still in his girl form.
When Ranma stepped into his room he dropped his bags and dropped to the futon for a nice afternoon nap, not even bothering to ghange into a guy. Ranma smiled as he went to sleep.
Ranma was awakened what seemed moments later by a knock on the door and Kasumi's voice drifted through the door, "Ranma there's somebody here to see you."
Ranma was up and groggily making 'her' way down the stairs. Though, when he saw who it was his eyes flew open and all thoughts of sleep left his mind.
"Ryoga! What are you doing here?" Ranma asked as he went into a defective stance.
"I was... I mean... Waiting, " Ryoga smiled that embarrassed smile and fumbled in his pack to hold out a package. "This is for you Ranma."
Ranma took the box from him and after a minute trying to decipher the package Ryoga spoke up. "They're German chocolates... from Germany." Ryoga blushed thinking of how stupid that must sound, 'Gah! German chocolates... from Germany. Of course they are! You idiot, Ryoga!'
'I wonder if it's poison...' Ranma thought cynically. 'No, Ryoga is no Kodachi, and he'd want to finish me off with his bare hands.'
An unenthusiastic "Thank you." was all Ranma could manage. Then when he saw how that seemed to crush Ryoga he mustered up some sincerity and said, "No, really thank you. I've just been having a rough time lately." With that Ryoga seemed to go from being the embodiment of a dark, stormy day to that of a warm, sunny spring afternoon. 'Boy, Ryoga, you really do wear your emotions on your sleeve, don't you? I wonder if this is your way of apologizing.'
Ryoga's expression clouded over for a moment as he struggled to say something. "Ranma, I... you. Someday, would you..." Ryoga trailed off mumbling.
"What was that Ryoga?"
Ryoga blushed furiously, as he laughed trying to shift attention away from what he found embarrassing, literally laughing it off. "Oh, nothing. Nothing at all Ranma." He blurted out so fast it was obvious that he wasn't being truthful, but only because he didn't want to be more embarrassed.
"Ryoga! My boy!" Mr. Saotome greeted suddenly. Causing both Ranma and Ryoga to jump in surprise. "I see you've found Ranma. You weren't thinking of asking my daughter on a date were you?" He said as he added a wink at Ryoga and Ranma.
Screams of "Gya! N-no, sir!" and "Dad!!" filled the room as Mr. Saotome broke into a grin and laughed. "Okay then, I'll just leave you two lovebirds alone." He said as he walked away.
"I'll get you for that!" Ranma shouted, nearly stumbling on Ryoga as he tried to catch him.
Ranma stopped and looked back at Ryoga who looked like he was going to either pee his pants or pass out. Luckily he didn't do either, and just said something unintelligible as he mechanically picked up his pack and began absently saying how he had to be going. Then he suddenly seemed to snap back to normal as he came on a thought.
"Ranma, I'm sorry about missing you at the lot..." Ryoga said and then choked out, "And the incident... at school." Ryoga said a final "I'm sorry." before breaking into a run... straight into the closet.
Ranma stood there stunned, Ryoga had just apologized, the one constant in Ranma's world had just eroded away and Ranma Knew that this had to be some kind of illusion or dream... but it all felt so real, he couldn't tell reality from unreality anymore.
"Damn you, Ryoga! This is all your fault!" Ranma screamed into the air as loud as he could.
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Ok, so maybe I should have split this up into two chapters. Yes, things are quite different than Ranma is used to, things are so familiar, yet so alien. The next chapter should clear up some of the divergences, and we'll all get a look of how the female Ranma is handling the other universe's own craziness.
Comments & Criticisms are welcome. efish@cs.nmsu.edu