ANOTHER DISCLIAMER: alright, this chapter isn't my best work, andI had to alter some things from the storyline to make things fit better and seem more realistic. But it brings up some info that will help with the rest of the story.
Now I have decided in all my writingie glory to create a series of fanfictions including dark tales of the various cast members of Ranma 1/2... next up is how Mousse became blind and what actions he takes against the guilty party. Should be very dark.
Now,Iam having a little trouble with my ending, as I progress into the story I will randomly choose the latest reviewer and ask he/sheto be submitted to a series of endings, andchoose the most appealing. I will try to do this with more than one person but my time is limited.
NEXT MORNING
Genma woke up alone in the room. At 8 o'clock on the day when they were going to decide where Ranma/Ranko would go to school, how to fix the damage, and how they were going to track down who did this and beat him to a bloody pulp this was pretty odd. Especially since Ranma/Ranko wasn't in the bathroom or at breakfast. There was however a plus side to the hospital incident, The Tendo family had gotten a MAJOR settlement to prevent the family from suing them into the ground, making this the biggest asset to the family since the malpractice suite from the death of Mrs. Tendo (How else could they never work and still have all the money to pay taxes on their house?)
At 9 o'clock Ranma showed up at breakfast, covered in dirt and dust. She looked like she had been crawling through the attic and the garden at the same time.
"I made it…" the small girl collapsed into a chair, "I've been out since 7 this morning. Uhh, I need breakfast."
"Ranma!" grinned Genma excitedly, "You were training! Hahaha, that's muh boy!'
"Nope." Remarked Ryoga smugly, "Ranko was looking for Breakfast, weren't you Ranko?"
The ashamed look on the former martial artists face said all the needed to be said. But a small voice rang out, "How did you know?"
"I've been the lost boy for as long as I can remember" grinned Ryoga with a look of satisfaction that seemed odd to all but him, "what makes you think that I don't realize the symptoms of being lost? You wouldn't let go of anyone while you were being walked in, you got people to take you to other rooms, and it took you 2 hours to get from room to room. How'd you get to the attic without help?"
"Same way you got to Mexico that one time."
"Ahh, warping the fabric of space and time, you should be proud, that feat took me till I was 10 to do."
Ranma looked depressed and stared cereal Kasumi put in front of her. Ryoga felt responsible for Ranma's suffering and chose to say nothing more.
"AIREN!" The yell rang out as the wall pushed in and shattered, "Where you hide shampoo Airen?"
"Ranma's not here shampoo." Squeaked out Ranma/Ranko, "By the way, he didn't visit me a lot, where is he?"
"Who this child? Look like girl Ranma."
"I'm Ranko." The excited child tipped her cereal bowl to drink the milk slurry, she wiped her face with her arm and streaked dirt across her face, "You've met me before."
The Amazon scratched her head, "Shampoo No remember child…" she frowned and stepped up to examine Ranma/Ranko. Flipped her head from side to side, than licked her sleeves and wiped off Ranma/Ranko's face, "Future sister-in0law of Shampoo no go around looking like dirty tomboy."
"Uhh! Stop, Shampoo, this is nasty! I don't want your spit on me!" she pushed away from Shampoo and wiped her face with her dirty sleeve again.
"Fine, get Airen to speak with tomboy child," Shampoo quickly glared at Akane, "You bad influence on small small child. Now where Airen?"
A quick thought entered Ryoga's head; if Shampoo used formula 911 to restore the repressed memories in Ranma than he was more than screwed. He quickly grabbed onto Akane as she was about to tell Shampoo about Ranma and pushed her into another bedroom.
"You cannot ever tell Shampoo about Ranma." His eyes were sharp and cold and he spoke in a low, scary tone.
"What!" Akane had the same thought about the restoration of Ranma's memories; "But Shampoo could…" she was cut off by Ryoga's angry voice.
"Shampoo can get rid of memories of certain people. She could make Ranma forget about you, Ukyo, and all the other fiancées now that Ranma doesn't have the strength to stop her."
"This may be our only chance. I'm willing to chance losing Ranma if I can know that he's alright." The pain struck Ryoga's heart. Nothing he did made her forget him.
"But shampoo doesn't love him; she is forced to by Amazon law. Look Akane, this could be a blessing, think about Ranma at school, does he have any friends there beyond potential family?"
"Everyone like Ranma!"
"No, everyone fears and admires Ranma, that's not the same as liking him."
"Well, Hiroshi and Daisuke."
"How often does he talk with them beyond school?"
"I haven't heard of anytime really…" A dim realization spread across her face.
"This is a rare chance," the acting classes he had taken in town took over as he mocked concern and pity in his voice, "we can help Ranma be able to have a life beyond the art."
"That's not how life works!" her eyes teared up as she cried at Ryoga, "You can't reset things because of a few things wrong! I don't care if he doesn't remember! I love him enough for him to live his life as he wanted too!"
"Listen to me!" Ryoga's ki flared and he pushed her into the wall, "you will not speak of Ranma to Shampoo! I love you and that's all you need!" Akane stared frightened into his eyes and nodded her head. Ryoga took her arm and they walked out of the room, Akane still looking a little shaken.
Ryoga had his arms around Akane as they entered the dining room. Shampoo had been trying to beat information out of Genma and Soun and quickly turned her eyes to the couple.
"Where you go?" Shampoo raised an eyebrow to the new couple, "Shampoo no knows you like Ryoga, Tomboy girl."
"I guess he can be thoughtful at times." Akane looked at the ground, "Now about Ranma…" she was quickly cut off by shampoo.
"Where Airen?"
"Ranma… Extended his trip for awhile, he'll be back next week."
"You tell Shampoo that last week! You hiding Airen!" her eyes burned with a hot intensity that would have singed Akane. Shampoo regained composer and turned her head to Ranma/Ranko.
"Little sister" purred shampoo to the little girl, "when Shampoo marry Ranma, you be rightful Amazon. Would Ranko like learn from Amazon fighting?"
"Really?" The small girls excited eyes shone on the muddy face, "Ranma said you guys have the best secret arts there are! You can teach me some?"
"Oh, yes little sister, you be sure and come to shampoo noodle stand at beach in while. And be sure to tell Airen how nice Shampoo is little sister." Ryoga chuckled at how she was trying so hard to show how good she is with kids. The funny part is Ranma is the child she's trying to make like her. Shampoo stood up and turned her head to Akane and Ryoga again.
"Bie Lao, if Ranma comes back, so will shampoo." Producing a bonbori from the strap on her back a new door was soon made in the wall.
"Oh dear." Muttered Kasumi, "I'll have to call our carpenter again." A quick glance and a frown at the little girl eating toast with a towel to keep dirt out of it, "right after I give little Ranko-chan a bath."
"What!" cried out the little girl, "You don't have to wash me! I'm not a baby!"
"You got lost on the way from room to room, I'm going to take you this time, come on." Kasumi picked up the squirming child by the sides and brought her in front of her chest to not get mud on her clean dress.
"KAASUUMMIII!" complained the little girl as she was carried to the bathroom by the motherly figure. Shouts, yelps, and complains were heard in the following 15 minutes. Kasumi returned smiling and chuckling while holding a blushing Ranma/Ranko draped in a towel.
"Kasumiiii!" wailed the struggling child, "This is embarrassing! Let me get my clothes on!"
"Okay, okay, baby. Let's go find your room, "Ranma complained and struggled in her arms as Kasumi turned to the hallway. Akane smiled at the scene and turned to Ryoga.
"Ryoga." she said quietly, "Did we do the right thing?"
"No doubt, lover." His left arm snaked around her waist, "Ranma, or Ranko now, will have a better life than he had. Don't worry Akane, we will both be there to help her, she'll be fine." Both Akane and Ryoga leaned into each other and savored a the moment of peace.
Later that day
Ranko had a bowl of chips while laying on her side watching anime. Kasumi had dressed her in a light yellow sundress with a duck across the chest. Ryoga sat in a chair across the room, occasionally looking up from the upside-down road map and watching the small girl with interest.
Ranko's hand reached into the bowl and pulled out air. She stood up at the commercial and went for more, an hour later she returned. Covered in sweat she plopped down in front of the T.V. again.
"Your certainly working off that snack food aren't you?" quipped Ryoga from across the room.
"Be quiet" moaned an exhausted Ranko, "I'm tired and I believe you get lost occasionally too."
"That's an understatement. The point is that I can help you."
"Get lost better?"
"hahaha" his sarcastic laugh spoke quickly and was replaced by a serious face, "Ranko, I have been lost all my life, I have found and conquered than found again more ways to get lost than anyone else. I'm pretty sure I can help you."
"I don't need help" she raised her nose and went back to the anime. Ryoga raised his voice.
"Ranko Saotome!"
"What!"
"What are you planning, getting Akane to help by holding your hand everywhere you go?"
"Maybe that would work." Ranma sneered and stood up shakily.
"Alright. It's the middle of the night. You drank a little too much juice and water that night. You wake up and you have to pee, badly. Now Akane and all the Tendo's are sleeping and you dear old daddy would probably not like being woken up by a yell for Akane. You make your way out and get lost, you can't hold it in anymore, what do you do?"
Ranko had an uncomfortable look on her face. She shook with embarrassment and rage and her face was red.
"I'd call for Akane."
"To what? Change your pants after you wet yourself?"
"NO!"
"To bad, because that's what's going to happen without my help."
"Nu-uh, Dr. Boyle he-he gave me medication to help me!"
Ryoga laughed deeply inside his head, he had long since switched Ranko's meds. With sugar pills while she slept next to him in the car. Too bad, they worked well, his direction was clear and for the first time in his life he had made it to exactly where he wanted to go without getting lost once.
"Oh, that's right, I'm terribly sorry that I forgot. My offer still stands though, if you want it."
The small girl looked satisfied as she popped one of the placeboes into her mouth. Ryoga put down the map and began to walk out. Ranko looked perplexed.
"Where are you going?"
"Home. It's been awhile."
Ryoga's uneventful trip home let his mind wander to events long past. His sweet Akane was his, his enemy was gone, and his state of perpetual loneliness had dissipated. He smiled lightly and looked into space. He was jarred from his dreams as he tripped over an unconscious form.
"The hell?" muttered Ryoga while scratching his head, "Whose…" he flipped over the person and quickly looked him over, "Piss Shampoo off again Mousse?" Mousse groggily regained consciousness.
"Kami in heaven was she pissed off." Mousse slurred as he stumbled to his feet, "What the hell did you people do to make her so mad? Seriously, she started packing and said she was gonna find Ranma. I try to tag along and suddenly I'm in the stratosphere."
"Heh, Ranma 'extended' his training trip."
"I thought Ranma was with you on the mountains, wait, did something happen?"
Ryoga quickly glanced to the side and pointed to a nearby bar.
"You can keep a secret, right?"
2 hours later
Two powerful teenage boys had broken into the bar and demanded sake and beer. Drunken bar fights had them destroying everyone and weakening the foundation of the building. After a slight collapse of the roof both boys sat and laughed at the bar.
"Two more sake!" Ryoga yelled out and turned to Mousse, "What is the deal with you and Shampoo anyway? She doesn't seem to return your feelings."
"Fourteen years ago I met her, the love of my life, and I have followed her ever since." Stated Mousse proudly, "There's not much more to it."
"What? You met her when you were two and she's been your fling ever since?"
"Yep."
"And even as a toddler she still kicked your ass into the ground?"
"You haven't been to an Amazon village, have you?"
"No… Why?"
"Because the men that are born there are the homemakers, I'm actually the strongest guy to have been born there in 300 years."
"And Shampoo's the strongest girl?"
"As the granddaughter of a village elder, she should be genetically one of the strongest."
"Huh, why not just let Ranma have her? They seem to be a better couple anyway…"
"Screw you Ryoga, I chased her for 14 years. She… Will… Be… Mine!"
"Okay, okay. Seriously though what are the chances of beating Ranma in a fair fight?" the alcohol had kicked in and his words slurred.
"Wouldn't need to if you'd just tell me what the secret is about."
Ryoga's mind been washed by beer and sake. He swam in the air and felt lightheaded. A feeling of trust took him and he spilled the bean to Mousse.
"I found us a way not to be botheredby Ranma anymore."
"You killed Ranma?" a look of combined respect, happiness, disgust, and fury spread across his face.
"No, No, No, not killed. Better, I've given a way for Ranma to die but still come to live with everyone and get Akane to love me."
"Your bullshitting me. That's not possible. Hell, if there was I would have done it!"
"Heh, it took me a while to come up with this. I was guided by pure genius."
"How? Just, how?"
The waitress brought their drinks as Ryoga released the whole story and brought fits of laughter to both their lips.