Two Week's after Nodoka arrived
The mood around the Tendo house had taken a turn from dark to black hole. Ryoga had left and stopped showing up for the two week's after Ranma/Ranko's 'returning home'. Akane and Kasumi had been spending time with the girl as much as possible, which had been the times Genma and Soun had come together too plan… something. Nodoka had grudgingly brought Genma into her house after she figured that Ranko would require some kind of father figure in her life. Soun and Genma were currently pounding out the details of their master plan in the other room as Nodoka asked Kasumi some advice.
"She's been so depressed and angry lately" Nodoka relaxed as her little girl ran and played with Akane, "And when she has so much ki powering her temper tantrums, well, I don't try to get her angry too often."
"Too be fair, you may have over-reacted about what happened" Kasumi poured her guest a cup of tea as she continued speaking, "Ranma is still alive in her, all we need is another mushroom too restore Ranma's right age."
"And the memories?"
"…" Kasumi failed for words at the thought
"So instead I'd have a sixteen year old who still thinks she's four, and still a girl… big improvement."
"At least we're trying to get him back."
"By sitting here playing games!" Kasumi was taken back by Nodoka's outburst, "I can't find them because I can't abandon my child again!"
Kasumi slumped down thinking of a response as a buzzer sounded out from the house. Kasumi and Ranko both perked from a conditioned response.
"Ranma-chan, medicine time!" Ranko had tried to make a break around to the fence, but got side tracked by the directional malfunction and ended running straight into Kasumi's legs, "Didn't even have to chase you this time."
Ranko continued to complain as Kasumi plucked the refilled medicine bottle off the counter and popped a pill into her hand.
"I still don't understand why you hate taking these." Kasumi frowned as the little girl twisted her head too the side to avoid taking the medicine, "The doctors gave it a cherry coating for the aftertaste. You should want to have one!"
"Nuh-uh!" The small red-head gave an over exaggerated head shake, "It taste's like chalk and it- it's not good or cherry."
Kasumi's brow furrowed at the thought, she was certain the pills she had seen the doctor give were the same as the first ones. Cautiously she snapped the pill in half and tasted the unflavored center. It did taste horrible, but a strong bitter resin was left, not a chalk taste. Kasumi ignored the girl trying to get back outside and walked over to the medicine cabinet where Ranko's last pill container still had a single small pill left at the bottom. Again she snapped the pill and tasted the center, again a strong taste, but one that left a dry, chalky feeling at the back of the throat.
"Oh my." Kasumi's slight nurse training took over as she stepped to the phone to immediately call Dr. Tofu, "Tofu-sensei, this is Kasumi. I'm bringing something for you to look- are you dancing? Stop throwing things and listen for a second! Dr. Tofu? Dr. Tofu!"
Kasumi hung up the phone in defeat and glared at the two snapped pills in her hand. Hurriedly she stepped towards the back patio, passing Ranko and warning her that they were not done yet as she stepped through the door towards her sister and Nodoka.
"Akane, I need you in here for a second."
"Okay, Kasumi." Akane smiled with sad eyes, "Having troubles with Ranma-chan?"
"More or less."
Akane excused herself for leaving the conversation halfway through and stepped into the kitchen. Kasumi opened both of her hands revealing two broken pills, one on either palm.
"Try one of each."
Akane blinked and raised one eyebrow, "Have you been watching the Matrix?"
"This isn't a joke Akane," Kasumi stared with an intensity that rivaled Happosai staring at a bra, "Taste one than the other."
Akane's hand reached out slowly and took one of each half pill. Gingerly she put her tongue to each one and furrowed her brow.
"They're different medicines." She muttered shocked, "Did the doctors mess up the first time?"
"I don't know, but I would think not. When I saw Dr. Boyle fill the container I memorized the name in case Dr. Tofu needed it. Ranma-Chan's new medicine was filled with the same thing."
"Maybe somebody made a mistake or maybe they came out with a stronger type."
"I'm not leaving Ranma's health in danger. Take these pills down to Dr. Tofu and see if he can test them, to find out what they are."
"Dr. Tofu's? Why don't you want to go?"
"I have to stay with the company and make lunch… And I certain that Dr. tofu would end up destroying everything if I showed up there."
"I see, I'll be glad to take it there for you, take care of Ranma while I'm gone."
Akane pocketed the pills and glanced over at the little red-head as she stared glumly at the pill she was forced to take. Akane smiled slightly at the misplaced depression and started out to the good doctor's office.
Away from this little scene, in the next room over, Soun and Genma 'planned' the future of their school… This mainly consisting of seeing who could stand on one leg the longest while drinking sake. Genma toppled over chuckling at his old friend, who was currently shit-faced and toppling off on one leg.
"You seem more cheerful today, Tendo." Chuckled out a drunken Genma, "Any reason why you're not flooding this place with tears?"
"Well." Soun toppled over on his side after taking another shot of sake, "Let's say my troubles and worries are coming to a close Saotome. A new lease on life!"
"Getting ready for your child's marriage, eh?"
"Something like that."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing, I've found a great way to protect the school."
Genma was curious now, "Oh? And how's that Tendo?"
Soun instinctively flashed his eyes at his breast pocket then back to meet with Genma, "We… unify our schools through marriage!"
"That's always been our plan. What did you stash in your pocket, Soun?" Genma ignored the man's protests and quickly tore out the note from his pocket with little struggle, "'the Tendo- Saotome School Unification Contract… I remember this; our wives made us sign it before we agreed on the arranged marriage. Hmm? What's this? 'The Generation Clause': In the case that the couple is not married upon the age of 17 or the wife to be of the Saotome or Tendo clan's is impregnated by another man. Then the marriage is deemed no longer in the hands of the parents and the Arrangement destroyed! What is this!"
"A failsafe Saotome, our wives felt that if the children were not in love enough to openly express that the wished to be married before 17, or that they loved another, that it would be cruel and unusual to make them marry after they reach adulthood."
Genma fumed in rage before he composed himself. He couldn't go against something his wife had made so specifically against this if he still wanted to raise Ranma to be a great martial artist, "I guess it can't be helped. If I have to admit defeat because of my own wife, then so be it."
"I'm glad you're looking at this rationally, I wouldn't want my daughter to marry someone she hated."
"On the other hand, if they marry before one of them turns 17, then the schools can still be joined and our livelihood can continue. Hmm… I prefer the latter."
Soun's jaw dropped, "You're insane!"
"NO! I wasted many years of my life on this and I refuse to watch everything I have worked so hard for disappear!"
"These are our children Saotome! Think of their future!"
"Think of our future! Do you want the Anything Goes School do slip into the history books as a long forgotten clan of losers! Or do you want to rise up to the challenge and push our school into greatness!"
Soun composed himself and sat up on his knee's, head tilted down, "There is nothing I would like more than to see my school become the greatest it could be. I also agree that Ryoga could make a good replacement for Ranma under the circumstances. But I still refuse to sacrifice my daughter to your mad desire!"
"I see." Genma placed his hand on Soun's shoulder in an understanding pose, "I am so sorry it had to come to this… old friend."
Genma's hand seized on the cardiac control nerve on the side of Soun's neck. Immediately his hand had risen to pry the arm off, nails biting into skin as Soun felt his pulse slow and blood drain from his head. His body fell to the left as his vision dimmed, but he could just barely make out Genma's final thought.
"Old friend, when you wake up, I promise that everything will be set straight."
Genma brushed off his gi and got in the right frame of mind before bursting out yelling "Kasumi! Come quick! Soun needs help!" At the thought of her injured father the mother figure of the Tendo clan quickly fell to her father's side and examined his swelling throat.
"I would think that we happened across a bad bottle of sake. I wouldn't worry too much. This happens to happosai all the time. Just put him to bed for the next week or so.", Kasumi nodded politely and hefted her unconscious father over her shoulder and out the door as Genma added, "Oh, and tell Ryoga and Akane I want to talk about their future."
Shampoo covered her face with a large section of cloth as she stirred her vile concoction. A smooth yellow broth that smelled of chicken, garnished with deectible noodles… yes, chicken soup… But EVIL CHICKEN SOUP! For this soup contained a secret Amazon interrogation material.
"What are you up too now Shampoo?" A cracked, ancient voice rang out from behind her, "We follow Ranma and Ryoga's tracks for weeks only too turn ourselves back around towards Tokyo. And now you've taken to cooking obscenely large… sniff wait… is that?"
"Yes great Grandmother." Shampoo purred as she spooned a massive ladle of noodle's into a sealable container, "Secret Amazon inhibition releaser."
The Grand matriarch of the Chinese Amazon's stared at her heir curiously, "Planning on getting somebody drunk?"
"Not quite Grandmother." Shampoo slipped the drugged food into her food case and lifted the tent flap, "Shampoo think that pig boy and violent girl know more then them telling."
Cologne chuckled lightly as she watched her granddaughter leave, "I simply must tell her not to speak in third person singular anymore… once I get tried laughing…"
Shampoo got a half click down to Tokyo before her path transformed from rough strewn trees to clear-cut stumps. The bushes and grass had been burned in a continuous line and fragments of metal and wood littered the ground. Her train of thought was interrupted by the numerous chains and ropes wrapping around her delivery box and pulling it away.
"Shampoo! You knew exactly what to bring to me." Mousse stood on one of the few remaining tree's and recoiled the box into his grasp, he proceeded to ignore shampoo's half threats and warning's and consume the content's of shampoo's drugged box, "Delicious like always, how goes the fruitless search?"
"What that mean?"
"Did I say fruitless? I meant useless, no! What? Have you found the kid yet? I mean Ranma!" Mousse's face went red as he stumbled in his steps and fell off the tree, "I feel sick."
Shampoo sultrily made her way over to Mousse's drunken figure, "Shampoo want to ask Mousse questions. You will answer, yes?"
Akane returned from Dr. Tofu's with the classic anime 'I'm hooommme'. After discarding her shoes she wandered around looking for anyone left back.
"Kasumi? Nodoka? Dr. Tofu says the analyses of the medication will take at least till the end of the week to be ready and… what's going on?"
Genma and Ryoga stood next to the table, reading over the final attachments on a contract that seemed to be exceedingly important to the two men.
"Ahh, Akane's finally here." Genma wore a large smiled and trust a pen into her hand and pushed it to the contract, "Sign here."
Akane pulled her hand away, "What is it? And where is everyone?"
"Just a little something necessary for our schools union." Genma still smiled wide and pushed her hand down to the paper, "Your father and I agreed that you two should wed as soon as possible, we have it set for the end of this week."
"This week! Are you insane?"
"No! I merely have the schools best interests in mind, and besides, our roles in the arranged marriage allows me and Soun to push you two together without this marriage license, (remember the final book/ final chapter?) it's just easier if we all go along with it."
"Akane, please." Ryoga bowed on his knee's and prayed at her feet, "If I am to marry you, I don't want to see hatred in your eyes as it happens. Let it be sadness, love, greed, I would take anything but seeing your beautiful eyes tainted by your hate for me. I've already willingly signed my end of the contract Akane."
"I can't. I-I just can't." Akane stumbled back, flushed at what happened, "Ranma… I still- he still."
"Ranma can move in with us Akane! I would gladly bring her with us to help with her sense of direction."
Akane held her hand to her head and dropped her hand to the pen. Genma smiled slyly and pushed it too the dotted line. He and Ryoga watched greedily as the confused girl half-wittingly signed her name.
AT THE WEDDING!
The Tendo's had managed to rent a chapel for this occasion and as such, had gathered a large group of people, mainly from the Tendo friends and family, to witness. Soun had woken up from his coma and was in a wheelchair to witness his little girls marriage, he had not been paralyzed, but an excess of spinal fluid and swelling had prevented him from moving temporarily and prevented him from talking.
Akane and her bridesmaid's were getting ready for the biggest night of her life. All except for the bride to be were laughing and giggling at their places in the wedding. The chuckling and laughing was disturbed, however, When Kasumi roughly threw open the door and quickly made her way past the partiers to Akane.
"Akane, this may not be the best time, however, it could b the only time." Kasumi had a look of desperate concern on her face as she thrust a folder of papers into Akane's waiting hands, "We finally got the test results from Dr. Tofu's examinations. The first pills we got for Ranma-chan were placebos, sugar pills."
"The doctor's gave Ranma sugar pills!"
"Akane, I'm afraid it may be worse than a mix up. Think back, since Ranma has been taking the sugar pills the only one who has gotten any effect has been, well, your fiancée, Ryoga."
"Stop right there!" Akane's shout tore the room into silence, "Ryoga may not be the best guy for me, but he would never, no one would ever, steal medication from a little girl. No one would make someone suffer like that on purpose!"
"I know how this must feel Akane. But think back to Ryoga. Can you say for sure that everything you've just said is true?"
"…" Akane didn't have time to think as Organ music to 'here comes the bribe' began playing. Genma pushed open the door, followed by a little red haired girl carrying a basket of flowers. Genma hooked his arm as he and Akane strolled out onto the aisle towards the waiting husband. They reached each other as the music ended and the minister rattled off the marriage ceremony, pausing at only one point.
"If anyone here has any reason as to why these two should not be wed speak now or forever hold your peace.
"I may have something. Ryoga…" Akane raised her hand into the air, "Ryoga, d-did you take Ranma-chan's medicine!"
"Of course not!" Ryoga's body felt weak as he stabilized himself on a nearby church railing, "I love Ranko like a sister why would I?"
"What about your sense of this direction. Did you take them?"
Ryoga had been found out. Sweat poured across his face as he searched for an answer and his face turned red. He spoke again, "I work hard to fix my problem and this is my repayment!"
"Tell me straight! Were you evil enough to wreck Ranma's life?"
"WHAT IF I WAS!" Ryoga screamed out at the top of his lungs, his face beet red, "What if, perchance I was human enough to see something that has been plaguing me for years, so, in a moment of weakness, stole them from someone who doesn't deserve them, of course I took them you idiot! And, you know what? I don't care. I used to, but that feelings gone. Ranma had everything: 4 fiancée's to choose from, a family he doesn't have to write a flaming message in the sky to get them to meet somewhere, strength, a curse that not only keep's him human, but also lets him fool people LIKE ME! Now he has a chance to know what I feel everyday, the misery that I did not deserve!"
Tear's welled up in Akane's eyes at the tirade and her head dropped down to look at the floor "You monster." Without even picking her head from the floor her hand snapped like a whip, catching him across the face with soba speed and power, knocking him into, and destroying, three empty church pews. Her fists clenched with tears running down her face she turned, and ran out.
"Come back!" Ryoga was no longer holding anything back, his depression and anger aura singed wood and skin as he charged out onto the street after her, "You can't run! We were made to be together! Come back and love me!"
Unbeknownst to Ryoga, a fantastic change was happening in his mind. You see, medication is required everyday for it to work properly; not taking said medication in days or in Ryoga's case an entire week would cause the condition to either worsen or stop repairs on it. Ryoga's mind was aflame as the hippocampi (ridges in the brain that dictate thought and direction) began their slow deterioration, while he ran deeper into the forest.
LATER THAT NIGHT
Following the failed wedding, all able bodied martial artist searched for Akane while the rest, say, Kasumi, Nabiki, Soun, and Ranko went home. Ranko had been tucked in by Kasumi, but couldn't sleep. Her room seemed empty without her father's latent form, or his snores echoing. She sighed and resigned to looking out the window. Ranko had been slowly drifting off as she was startled awake by a figure at her window. A shadowy hand unlatched the lock and opened wide her entrance into the darkened room.
"You…" Ranko muttered before something was shoved deep into her mouth as she was picked up and taken away.