Michael Gutin


Disclaimer: I think we all get it by now. These are not my characters, rather they are Rumiko Takahashi's.
"…" means speech

(…) signifies thoughts

If it's in italics it must be a sound effect

>…> shall be the lovable panda signs


Sick of It
Chapter 3

Is It Over?


Ryoga had finally run out of steam. Now he was tired, even worse, he had no idea where Ranma was, and as usual, he was lost.

(Great) he though bitterly (Even when Akane really needs me, I still can't help her…)

It was at the moment that Akane finally caught up with Ryoga. She paused to catch her breath before for a second.

"Stop this Ryoga." She finally said.

"Huh?" was the only thing he could respond with.

"For once…this wasn't Ranma's fault…"

Ryoga gaped. (What's going on? This is definitely Ranma's fault, he hurt her really bad this time, but she's not blaming him? All those times where he had done nothing wrong, and she picks NOW to not blame him? Something is wrong here. I have to find Ranma, and get him to explain things to me before I beat him to a pulp.)

"Ryoga?"

"Um...I...er, I have to go now!" Ryoga stammered, before fleeing as fast as he could.


Ranma took one step closer to Ukyo.

"Ukyo…I…" he began. He spotted Ukyo's giant spatula, picked it up and tossed it for her. "Here" he told her evenly, "I won't try to dodge or nothing."

"Ranchan, what are you…"

"I'm really sorry Ukyo, you gotta believe me, I really truly am."

"But why?"

"Ukyo I don't…I…this has to end here."

Deep down Ukyo knew what he was going to say, but she still had to ask. "End what Ranchan?"

Ranma spoke slowly, obviously straining with the words "Ukyo…we…I have to end this engagement." Ranma looked at Ukyo, she just stood there, staring at him, with a horrified expression on her face. The look hurt Ranma, but he had to go on. "You're my best friend Ukyo..." he tried to smile, but failed miserably "I will always care for you, but…marriage…I can't…not with you…"

Ukyo's response caught him off-guard "Then with who?"

"Uh…I…"

Ukyo laughed hollowly "Rancha…Ranma, just be honest for once."

"But I…"

"Just say it! At least grant me that, it was Akane wasn't it? You loved her the entire time. Me, Shampoo, Kodachi, none of has a chance in hell, did we?"

Ranma merely hung his head and nodded slowly.

"Then why?" she asked softly.

Ranma looked up, confused "Why what?"

Ukyo tried to keep the bitterness out her voice "Why did you string us all along? If you loved her, why didn't you tell us right away?"

Ranma said nothing for a moment. "I…I just didn't want…didn't want any of you to be hurt…I thought that…maybe if I…"

Ukyo was about to reply with something scathing when she noticed that Ranma's face was wet. She realized he was crying. Her anger faded, (He really does care about us…about me). She tried to say something comforting instead. "Ranma…I…I forgive you…"

Ranma looked up at her, shocked. "Ukyo…I…" He went up to her and hugged her. It was Ukyo's turn to be shocked. He held her a while before whispering "Ucchan…thanks…"

Ukyo said nothing, but kept her hold around Ranma. (I may not ever be his wife, but I can still be there for him…as a friend.)


Akane had gone home. She lay in her room. Sadly reflecting the day's events. (Does he hate me now?) she thought about what he had said. (It's all true isn't it? I do hit him a lot, and insult him, even when he doesn't deserve it.)

She started to cry again. (How could he not hate me? Especially when he has all those other girls…) Akane stopped, suddenly a thought emerged from the ever hopeful depths of her brain. (But he never went with any of the other girls either…maybe he doesn't hate me…maybe if I apologize, he'll come back, and everything will be back to normal.)

She stopped crying and decided she had to find Ranma right away. (Maybe…maybe he might…)

As Genma approached the restaurant he glanced in the window and saw that Ranma was indeed there, talking with Ukyo. He couldn't understand the details, but he saw that Ukyo and Ranma both looked sad. Ranma turned to leave and saw Genma. He turned back around and said something to Ukyo, who left and came back with some hot water.

(The boy wants me human? That's never good.) He turned around to leave when he heard Ranma's voice.

"Hold it, we have to talk, Pops."

>No 'Pops' here, just an innocent panda> Genma knew it wouldn't work, but it couldn't hurt to try.

He felt hot water hit his back, and he transformed back to his human form.

"Boy, you better come back with me and move back into the Tendo's" he tried to make his voice as firm as possible. (This foolishness has gone on long enough.)

"No."

"Boy, honor demands that you come back to the Tendo's and marry..."

"Shut up!" Ranma screamed. "Just shut up! I'm not listening to you anymore. You're a horrible parent that has picked food over his child every single time."

"Come now boy, not every single…" It was then he noticed that Ranma had just thrown some okanomyaki in the air. Genma leapt in the air, grabbed it, and devoured it greedily. When he was done, he noticed Ranma was gone. (That didn't go as planned…well, I'm already here, why not get some food?)


Nabiki came home a bit later then usual. She looked in Akane's room, and saw that she wasn't there. (Hmmm, that's odd, where could she be? I need her to tell me exactly what happened so I can appropriately punish Ranma.)

Nabiki looked around one more time before leaving and entering her own room. She searched around for something for a while, then pulled it up and examined it.

(Yup) she thought smugly (Whatever he did, I think this will be plenty, for now...)


Shampoo walked into the restraint she had been working at for the past couple of years. She then beheld a sight she couldn't ever remember seeing; her great-grandmother humming happily to herself as she worked.

"Why you so happy great-grandmother?" she asked.

"In two days Ranma will be yours."

Shampoo felt a surge of happiness wash through her. (He finally be Shampoo's!) She was so excited she almost forgot to ask how such a wonderful thing had happened. But after a moment her euphoria faded, and was replaced by curiosity.

"How it happen great-grandmother? Ranma say he love Shampoo?"

Cologne chuckled happily. "No child, he challenged me. If I win he will marry you and return with us to China."

Shampoo was disappointed, but only slightly. "But great-grandmother Ranma win last time you fight."

Cologne happy demeanor faded, replaced by one of utmost seriousness. "Come now child, did you really think that was the extent of my abilities? I haven't fought to my full extent in seventy years. Even against Happosia I held back. But not this time, we have been in Japan for far too long, it will end in two days, he WILL lose."

And with that Cologne let out the most evil cackle Shampoo had ever heard.


Ranma made his way to his room in Doctor Tofu's Clinic. He had something he needed to think about, and he really didn't want any unnecessary distractions.

(Honor…) this had been bothering him for quite some time. (What is honor, really? Is it really that good to have? Pops always talk about honor…but look at him, he steals, he's lazy, a glutton, a coward, why should I trust what he says? What has honor done for me, anyway? Let's see, it forced me to avoid my mother, it forced me into engagements that I don't want, and it's forced me to keep P-chan's real identity a secret. This honor thing really sucks. Some parts are good though, like a martial artist always protecting the weak, I really think that's a good idea, but the rest…)

And then it hit him. (It's so obvious! I'll decide what's honorable for myself. I may not be perfect, but then, whoever made this stupid honor wasn't perfect either. Maybe the rules they came up with worked for them, but they don't for me. I'm sick of this honor crap; I'm not going to be held back by it anymore.)

Ranma thought about what he should do next (I think it's time I paid Ryoga a little visit…)

Tofu knocked on the door to Ranma's room. "Ranma, I've got dinner if you want some." The door was immediately opened and he saw a red blur speed down to the table. (Well, he's still got his appetite.)

Tofu joined Ranma at the table. He said nothing at first, but then curiosity overcame him and he couldn't help but ask "So Ranma, why did the sudden change?"

Ranma thought about this for a while before speaking "I guess I can trust you Doc." Ranma quickly ran to his room, and came back with an old scroll in his hand. "To tell you the truth Doc" he continued "I've been thinking about doing this for a long time now. But I just couldn't see it happening without someone getting hurt or killed."

Tofu nodded. (That's true, Ranma knows too many people that could be a danger if angered.)

Ranma handed Tofu the scroll. "But then I found this…"

Tofu skimmed through it, then gasped "Ranma…but this is…"

Ranma merely grinned.


Authors Notes: Well, here's the third installment for my series. Don't have much to say about this one, except, can't you just feel that suspense? Can you? Cause I would cry if you couldn't, and you wouldn't want to make an innocent author cry, would you? WOULD YOU?

Keep sending me the good ol' C I actually do try to put in some of things you guys suggest.

Last thing, for all you people who wondered who I was going to pair Ranma up, hope this clears things up for you. For those of you who don't like R&A pairing I can only say, I'm sorry, but that's how it'll be for most of my fics. In the manga Ranma shows absolutely no signs of being romantically intrested in any of the girls except Akane, and that's how I'll portray him most of the time.