Chapter Thirteen: What Happened at Jusenkyo?
Shampoo eyed the girl curiously as she slowly lifted her head, her brown eyes filled with relief.
"It's Shampoo" Akane thought, "I'm saved."
"Akane? What you doing here?" Shampoo replied.
Akane opened her mouth to speak but no words came out, so she held onto her throat with sadness. "I can't talk? Where's my voice?"
"Akane?" Shampoo looked at her confused, "Why you no say nothing?"
Akane patted her throat indicating that she couldn't speak.
"You no can talk can you?" Shampoo gasped.
Akane shook her head fervently. Shampoo's eyes became even wider.
"Who do this to you?" she asked.
Akane tried to speak but it was no use. "Oh" she grumbled in her head, "I have to make her understand. I have to find a way to tell her. What do I do? I know," she thought as she grabbed a nearby stick and began to scratch a message in the sand they both seemed to be kneeling on.
Once the message had been written Shampoo stared at it concentrating as Akane baited her breath.
"Akane" Shampoo began seriously as she looked back up, "Shampoo no understand. You know Shampoo no read Japanese."
Akane about fell over. "Oh great!" she screamed in her head, "Now what am I supposed to do?"
(Next Scene)
Meanwhile Mousse had finally regained full consciousness and he reached up to his face to fix his glasses before he stood up and gazed around at the alleyway. "Shampoo?" he said softly, "Shampoo?" he called a little louder, "Oh no. Shampoo my love!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Where are you?" then he stopped, "What happened" he wondered aloud trying to remember, "I recall that Shampoo was stopped by a strange guy and then in the next instant she had fallen into his arms and I rushed to stop him and then" he scratched the back of his head and looked to his left "There was a bright light and oh" he realized as he saw that the wall to his left was a bit broken because he had run into it, "How did that happen? Where did Shampoo go? Where did he take her?" he demanded to the air, "Shampoo!"
"Mousse" a familiar voice said in the darkness.
"Huh?" he spun around, "Who said that?"
"Mousse" the girl repeated as she came into the light and he gasped at the sight of her.
"Sh. Shampoo" he stammered, "You're okay?"
"Oh Mousse" Shampoo replied flinging herself into his arms, "Shampoo so glad you here. Shampoo so scared."
"Shampoo" he repeated surprised at her forwardness but embraced her just the same, "Fear not my precious Shampoo. I shall never let anyone harm you."
"Oh Mousse" Shampoo said leaning against his chest as he held her, her eyes glowing purple, "Shampoo so happy."
(Next Scene)
The following day Ranma, after the morning classes met up with Ukyo and Ryoga outside at the back of the gym, making sure that Akane hadn't followed him.
"Hey guys" Ranma said quietly glancing over his shoulder one last time.
"Why are you looking over your shoulder?" Ryoga asked.
"I'm just making sure she didn't follow me. She was very suspicious when I came home last night."
"Well where did you say you were going after class then?" Ukyo said.
"I said I was meeting someone."
"You told her the truth?" Ryoga almost shouted.
"Well she would know I was lying otherwise" Ranma hissed, "And keep your voice down will ya? Anyway she didn't ask me any questions after that so it doesn't matter" he turned to the brown-haired girl, "So Ukyo did you see Shampoo by any chance this morning?"
"No Ranma. Sorry" Ukyo shook her head, "No sign of her."
"Damn. Okay. I guess now is as good as time as any to tell you what we are going to do?"
"You mean you actually got a plan this time?" Ryoga said a bit doubtful.
"Mhm" Ranma nodded, "And it's very simple" he held up his right pointer finger, "We'll put it into play this afternoon. You're with me right?"
"That depends Ranma" Ukyo shrugged, "What's the plan?"
(Next Scene)
Ukyo took a deep breath as she stood in front of the small bookshop. Ranma and Ryoga watched her from the wall near the same small alleyway they had been in already twice. Ranma gave her the O.K. sign as she glanced in his direction briefly. Then she walked into the shop.
"Do you think this is really such a good idea?" Ryoga asked glad to be back in his human form once more. Just moments earlier P-Chan had slipped back into the back door and placed the stolen list where he had gotten it. Ryoga sighed before asking his second question, "Do you really think it's a good idea to use Ukyo as bait?"
"I can't do it myself. Otherwise I would. But Akane knows me in the other form. If she's connected with those two guys in there then we'd be in really big trouble. But if Ukyo buys the book it won't be as suspicious."
"But what reason would Ukyo want to buy one of those goofy books for?"
"Well she wants to marry me doesn't she?" Ranma replied simply.
"Uh" Ryoga's eyes became wide as he held his tongue, "Yea. Sure. Right."
"What?" Ranma eyed his nervous expression.
"Uh nothing" Ryoga lied faking a smile, "Let's just wait for Ukyo to come back."
"Okay" Ranma turned away with a quizzical look on his face, "There she is," he said as she came out holding onto a small bag.
Ranma and Ryoga rushed over as she spotted them. "Did you get it?" Ranma asked.
"Mhm" she nodded with a smile, "It's right here" she pulled it out.
"Good" he grinned taking her hand making Ryoga frown slightly, "Now for the next part of my plan" he led her away from the shop and headed in the direction of her restaurant, while Ryoga who was still glaring at the back of Ranma's head, followed slowly behind them.
When they arrived at Ucchan's Ukyo closed the door, locked it, and walked over to the counter as Ranma pulled out the book.
"Okay. You ready?" he asked Ukyo as he opened the book to the signature page.
"Yes" she nodded determinedly picking up a pen from the counter, "I'm ready."
Before she started to sign Ryoga interrupted abruptly. "Wait a minute! What guarantee do we have that Ukyo won't disappear if she does this?"
"Ryoga, we're gonna follow her" Ranma replied, "So she'll be all right. With any luck we'll be able to trap the person who took Shampoo and Akane."
"Yea. But whose to say that they are gonna come after her right away?" Ryoga added.
"It's okay Ryoga" Ukyo said, "I'll be fine. I trust Ranma. Here goes nothing," she thought to herself as she signed the book, "Done" she put the pen down.
"Good" Ranma grinned, "Now you're certain they asked you to sign that mysterious list?"
"Yea. I signed it all right."
"Okay."
"Well what do we do now?" Ryoga replied.
"Ukyo needs to be alone" Ranma said, "They won't attack her if we're around."
"I have some shopping to do" Ukyo spoke up, "So I'll go do that. You guys can follow me at a distance."
"Okay" Ranma agreed with a smile, "We can do that right Ryoga?" he said turning to the other boy.
"Uh right" Ryoga nodded uncertain.
(Next Scene)
Ukyo shopped in the market place for the remainder of the afternoon, while Ranma and Ryoga kept a close watch on her. They each stood on opposite sides of the street as she stopped at vendor after vendor. Ranma looked around at the crowd before walking over to Ryoga's side of the street, Ukyo moving to another stand.
"See anyone suspicious?" Ranma asked him.
"No. Nobody" Ryoga said shaking his head.
"Well" Ranma replied scratching the back of his head, "Maybe you're right Ryoga. They might not necessarily come today."
"Ranma" Ryoga said exasperated.
"They didn't exactly come after Shampoo the first day now did they?" Ranma replied a bit irritated, "Give me a break."
"All right. No they didn't."
"Then be patient Ryoga" Ranma said crossing his arms and then looking to his left at a crowd of people that were headed their way.
"Ranma" Ryoga whispered urgently making the boy turn back around.
"Hmm?"
"That guy. Look at him. He seems to be eyeing Ukyo quite a bit," Ryoga continued to whisper.
"I recognize him from that shop" Ranma said with a frown as he spotted the ponytail, "He's our man all right. Keep your distance. I'm going back to the other side of the street."
"Right" Ryoga nodded as they both began to follow the stranger who was pursuing Ukyo.
The blond stranger followed Ukyo throughout the crowd. She had noticed him from the get go however. "Okay Ranma" she thought to herself, "I'm gonna lead him away from everyone" she began to run, "I hope you guys are ready."
As the stranger saw her run, he too began to sprint after her, with Ranma and Ryoga close at hand. Ukyo led the stranger down an alleyway with a dead end and then stopped, turning around to face him.
"I finally caught up with you" he grinned.
"You're the guy from the bookshop," she said angrily, "What do you want? Why are you following me?"
"Calm down Ukyo. I just want to talk" he smiled even more as he moved towards her.
"Huh?"
He began to raise his head, his body glowing a bright yellow. Suddenly his appearance began to change. His blond hair became longer and black wings sprouted from his back, Ukyo gasped as she saw him, Ranma and Ryoga arriving in just the nick of time.
"Ukyo!" Ryoga shouted.
Ranma's eyes became wide as hesaw the other man in the alley turned and glared at the intruders. He frowned as his eyebrows became furrowed.
"It's you" Ranma said slowly.
"Damn" the enemy muttered disappearing completely with a flash of yellow.
"Come back!" Ryoga screamed as he ran forward and then shielded his eyes as the light evaporated, "Where did he go?"
"Ranma" Ukyo replied slowly as she saw the boy's terrified expression. Both she and Ryoga moved closer to him.
"It can't be" Ranma said, "It just can't. It's impossible."
"What's impossible Ranma?" Ryoga asked, "What's going on?"
"Jusenkyo" Ranma replied, "It happened at Jusenkyo."
"What?"
"What happened at Jusenkyo?" Ukyo added.
"We got to go back to the restaurant" Ranma shook his head, "I'll tell you when we get there." Ranma moved out of the alleyway slowly as Ryoga and Ukyo stared at one another confused and then followed him out.
(Next Scene)
Back at the restaurant Ranma took a sip of water that Ukyo had given him, as they all sat down in her room.
"All right Ranma" Ukyo replied, "What's going on? You seemed to recognize that guy."
"Jusenkyo" Ranma repeated, "A lot happened there. Stuff I want to forget. Stuff I can't even remember. Stuff that didn't even involve Saffron or any of his followers."
"Huh?" Ryoga raised his eyes, "What are you talking about Ranma? Isn't that who we fought there?"
"Yes. But Ryoga Akane and I were reunited with you all remember? And we all went back to the hotel to relax before returning home."
"Sure I remember" Ryoga said nodding, "So?"
"The next morning I went back to the springs and stared at them contemplating everything about how I almost lost Akane" he said sadly as Ukyo and Ryoga looked at each other once more, "Akane found me there but didn't say anything and then that's when it happened. Just when I thought we were out of the woods. A bright white light surrounded us. Before I knew it I somehow lost the ability to hold onto her hand. I remember hercalling outmy name but then my eyes closed. When I opened them again I found myself in this really rocky, craggy place. Sort of like Saffron's lair but not quite. I thought he had come back for revenge or something, at first. But I was wrong. It wasn't Saffron, but a woman."
"Woman?" Ryoga replied.
"Who was she Ranma?" Ukyo asked with a frown.
"I don't know" Ranma shook his head, "But I'm certain she's someone I have tried to forget" he added angrily.
(Till Next Time)
Authors Note: Hey guys! Third chapter of the week is up. I will see you all later for the last chapter of the week. Hope you enjoyed it!
Next Chapter: Trapped
Ranma continues his story of Jusenkyo revealing less then they already knew, because of memory loss so he returns home, but an unexpected surprise waits for him that may just want him not remember what happened at the mysterious springs.
