Hunters
Ryouga Yagami
Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko Takahashi
'I'm running out of money', a shorthaired girl, clad in light blue kimono and dark blue hakama, thought when she approached a city. She clenched her fist with the few coins she had inside her hand, 'But I can't give up now. I know he is near', she looked at the lights of the city ahead and touched her knives as she sensed the danger.
Two wolves were behind her.
"Get out", she said simply. The wolves backed a little, "I said get out", she repeated, but they remained where they were.
The girl turned to face them, "GET OUT! CAN'T YOU SEE I'M A DEFENSELESS GIRL!", with that the wolves ran away confused to where to go and the girl was alone again. She sighed then looked at the city again, 'I'll find you and we will go back home', and walked again, 'Together!'
A BRAVE HEART
Radatos, night
"ACHOO!"
Ryoga looked at Ranma, "Don't tell me you are sick?"
"Probably someone is talking about me", he looked around, people selling cloth, spices, cigars and carpets, "This city is pretty noisy".
"And probably full of thieves. Be careful about that", Ryoga warned.
"Don't worry. Everything is fine", Ranma assured. They kept silence then Ranma spoke, "Hey, why are we here in Radatos?"
Ryoga stopped and bought an apple, "I really don't know. I'm letting fate guide us"
"Oh, that's why you can't find your way inside a room with one door"
"SHUT UP!"
Ranma sighed, "Maybe we should look for an alternative way of a cure"
"If such thing exists", then Ryoga remembered of something, "You know, in the city of Sophia there's some fountains that can cure lots of curses"
Ranma felt better, "Well, it seems at least we have a destiny. Let's rest today and tomorrow we can go to Sophia. After I get a map"
"Hey, I know where Sophia is"
Silence.
"Like I said, after I get a map..."
"Grrrr...", Ryoga controlled himself.
"Stop it, Ryoga, let's find an inn"
---
"Dragon's Bed? What kind of name is this?", the girl said and stepped inside. She still had money for one night. At least she believed.
The place was clean. Not the best place to live, but sleeping there one or two nights would not kill or drive anyone crazy.
She looked at the people around. There were some drunken guys, a woman behind a counter and two guys with backpacks. She walked to the counter where the guys were discussing with the woman. She waited sometime for her time to get a room when she felt a hand on her.
"Hum, I bet you have a nice body under these clothes. Don't you want to make me happy?", a drunk guy said. The other two approached and the girl did the first thing that came in her mind.
"AHHRGGH! PERVERT!", and before she slapped the three, a black umbrella got one of the guys.
"It's better for you stay far away from here", Ryoga said. The three drunken guys took a good look on Ryoga. Even drunk, they knew the guy was dangerous. The guy hit by the umbrella stood up made an apology and ran away. The other two guys followed their friend's example.
"We hic didn't know hic she was your hic girl friend!", one of them said as he left the place. Ryoga blushed slightly while the girl didn't know what to do.
"Thank you", the girl said and bowed. Ryoga turned to look at her, a hand on his head, when her face lightened up.
'What is... why is she looking...?', he thought, trying to organize his mind.
"It's you!", the girl said, tears in her eyes. Ryoga was now more confused, as he didn't recognize the girl. Suddenly the girl came in his direction, her arms wide open. He closed his eyes and opened his arms to receive her.
"It's you, Ranma! I can't believe it's you", she said as she passed by Ryoga and hugged Ranma letting a very embarrassed Ryoga speechless.
Ryoga shook his head and tapped his cheek, coming back to his senses. Ranma was just as scared as Ryoga and took some time to return the hug, although he didn't know who was yet. Just when the girl looked at him again, he remembered.
'It can't... but it is...', "A... Akane? What are you doing here!"
---
Outside Radatos, night
Having no money to stay in an inn, Ranma, Ryoga and Akane had to camp outside the city. Akane was very happy to find Ranma again, Ranma had the same surprised look from the inn and Ryoga just watched them curiously. 'The girl was happy to find Ranma. There are crazy people for everything', he thought.
"Akane?"
"What, Ranma?", Akane couldn't take the smile off of her face.
"You didn't answer me. What are you doing here?", thinking she could misunderstood the question, he added, "I mean, it's just that... that...", Ryoga punched Ranma's head, "Hey! Why did you do that for!"
"Ranma here wants to say that he is very happy to see a friend, since he doesn't see nobody in a long time", Ryoga explained to Akane. Ranma punched him and the two began to fight. They stopped as Akane giggled.
"What is so funny?", Ranma asked.
"You two. I can see you are... friends", she said and smiled. Then she looked at Ryoga, "I think I didn't introduce myself yet. My name is Akane Tendo and I'm... Ranma's childhood friend. Thank you for your help earlier", she said and bowed again. Ryoga was very confused. He wasn't very good with talking and talking to women was even harder.
"Er... my name is... Ryoga...", he bowed. He thought of telling her his surname, but got afraid because of his bad reputation, "I'm a hunter just like Ranma", he finished and could feel his cheeks very hot.
"Ryoga? Like the fearless Ryoga Hibiki?"
'This fearless thing sucks', "Er...", now it was Ranma's turn to punch Ryoga.
"Ryoga here wants to say that he is the fearless Ryoga Hibiki"
Silence. Akane looked very scared.
"ARGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!", and slapped Ryoga.
---
Some time later
"Miss Akane... it's not everyday that someone hits me so hard", Ryoga said and drank some water of his canteen. He had a hand mark on his face. Ranma was laughing hard near the fire Ryoga did earlier.
"Shut up, Ranma!", Akane yelled and turned to Ryoga, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean... it's that..."
"I know. My reputation is not so good", and sighed.
Ranma felt some pity for the guy. He had a good heart, but the authorities didn't like him because he had to kill lots of soldiers to survive. He was once the leader of New Revolutions Warriors third division squad.
The New Revolution Warriors were fighters unsatisfied with the actual situation of the lower classes and helped people to get rid of authorities that acted as dictators. Ryoga wasn't someone engaged politically, but they invited him to participate and as the time passed he became one of the most famous members. The group dissolved after a fight between some members. The authorities, though, always tried to get the leaders and kill them. Ryoga and a few others still manage to survive, but some of them already faced trials and died, generally in public places as a way to show the commons what could happen to them if another revolutionary group was formed.
"Don't worry, man. You will clean your name someday", Ranma said.
Ryoga just smiled. It was his way to say thanks.
"Ok, now I'll make us something to eat", Akane said and got something of her backpack.
Silence again. Ranma looked very scared.
"Hey, Ranma. What happened, man?", Ryoga put a hand on his shoulder and shook Ranma. He didn't respond.
"Ranma!", he yelled and Ranma jumped.
"Hey, don't scare me like that!"
Ryoga had a puzzled look on his face while Akane seemed to be controlling her anger.
"I just thought I heard Akane saying she was going to cook", then he looked at Akane preparing things and a very angry look on her face.
"RANMA, YOU JERK!" she shouted and hit Ranma with all her forces.
---
"This is for laughing of me before", Ryoga said without any emotion in his voice.
"Shut up", Ranma answered, with a redder mark than Ryoga's in his face, and rested his head on his palm. Sometimes he took some glances of Akane cooking something.
"I'll make okonomiyaki, is that good for you?", Akane said.
"For me it's good", Ranma said, "If I live after", this gave Ranma another red mark on the other cheek.
Ryoga stunned, 'Why does it have to be okonomiyaki?'
"Ryoga? Is there anything wrong?", Akane asked.
Ryoga came back to the world, "No, of course not, miss Akane. Okonomiyaki will be fine", he said and looked at the stars.
"Call me Akane, Ryoga", Akane said not taking her eyes off of the okonomiyakis on the small grill.
"Right... Akane", Ryoga said and silence fell again.
Ranma was bored. He didn't want to get slapped again, but he had to talk to Ryoga, prepare him to the worst thing in the world, Akane's food.
"Ryoga, could I talk to you for a second", Ranma stood up. Ryoga studied Ranma for a moment, but stood up, "We will be right back, Akane"
Akane was very suspicious about Ranma's behavior, "Ok, but they will be ready soon", she said.
"Right, right", then Ranma turned to Ryoga, "C'mon"
They walked some meters away, "Ok, here is enough she will not hear us", Ranma said.
"What do you want?", Ryoga asked.
"It's that... Akane's cook is bad"
Ryoga gave a blank look, "Ok, I don't cook that good either. And your cook is not great too", he said.
Ranma didn't like Ryoga's comment about his food, but let it pass, "Ok, but Akane... she has no talent for it... I mean... she intoxicated her father once"
Ryoga's eyes widened, "Intoxicated? Did she put poison on the food?"
"I don't doubt that"
"What! Did she try to kill her father?"
"No, it's not that... it's... she doesn't know what she is putting on the food, she doesn't care about quantities, or doesn't pay attention on the ingredients..."
Ranma continued to say a lot of wrong things Akane does in kitchen. Ryoga was thinking if he believed in it or not, but was getting worried. Then he shook this feeling away, 'Ranma must be exaggerating. This is stupid'. Akane called them and they walked back.
"I warned you, man, be afraid, very afraid", Ranma said.
They sat and Akane gave them the okonomiyaki still hot. Ryoga flipped it in the air to cool it a little and then put it on a plate. 'Ukyo...', he thought as he looked at the okonomiyaki.
Ranma put his okonomiyaki over the plate and watched it, 'It's not alive, at least'. Akane looked angrily, waiting him to eat. Ranma sweat, he knew that she would be angry if he said that he wasn't hungry and that was a lie. He sighed and watched Ryoga. The guy was sighing over his okonomiyaki. Ranma looked at the okonomiyaki and the okonomiyaki looked back. 'Ok, now I'm getting crazy. I survived this before, I can survive again', he said and ate a big piece. He chewed. 'No acid', he thought as he finally swallowed. Ranma blinked.
"Hey, it's very good", he said and blinked, "How..."
Akane couldn't hide a small smile, "Thanks, Ranma. I didn't travel all this way without learning a thing or two", she said.
Ryoga ate in silence when he felt he had to congratulate Akane, "It's indeed good, Akane. I don't eat a good okonomiyaki in years"
"Thanks. I learned from a great chef", she said, "I'm just sad I can't do more today"
Ranma sighed, "We need money"
"Don't worry. Tomorrow, we will get a job", Ryoga said and lied down.
Ranma sighed. In hunter life he worked for people to kill demons, cultivate, waiter, almost everything. Even cooking potatoes. He flinched as he remembered the Gambarou's ship. And remembered Hakeda, 'I hope he is fine. That wound was ugly', "Ryoga, do you think Hakeda is ok?"
"..."
"Ryoga?"
"..."
"Is he... sleeping? But he...", he turned to Akane and noticed they were alone for the first time, 'Now it's just me and her'
Akane was watching the fire, kind of uncomfortable. Ranma looked at some trees far from them, thinking on something to say. "Akane..."
"Yes?", she answered still looking at the bonfire.
"You didn't answer me. Why are you here?", he asked again, "I left sometime ago... and now when I'm very far from home I find you. Are you here on a mission for your family? I mean, you're even using the Tendo's traditional outfit"
Akane looked at Ranma. Then she looked away. She couldn't tell him she was there because of him. So many nights thinking on what could have happened to Ranma. People were happy that he and other fighters defeated the demon. Only him and Kaishun survived and both left the Kusanagi village the day after. Akane thought that they were fighting another demon, but when Kaishun returned from his training she worried about what happened to Ranma. Then she left the village to look for him. Although she said to her family what she told to Ranma.
"I left Kusanagi... to learn how to cook", Ranma facefaulted.
"You what?", Ranma exasperated, "And Kasumi, your sister, she is the best cook I know...", then he remembered the lunches he had after Kasumi's lessons, "I mean... who did teach you how to cook?"
"It was a girl, her name was Ukyo. She was very rigorous, very different from Kasumi. I think I needed someone to make me eat my own food", she said embarrassed.
"Ukyo, huh?", Ranma put a hand under his chin.
"Ranma, what's wrong?"
"Nothing. Just that I already heard this name before. But where?", he shrugged it off, "Well, I think that since your food got so great you can go back to Kusanagi"
Akane stunned, "N... No, I can't", 'Not now, that I finally found you'
"Huh? Why not?"
Akane recomposed herself, "I... need to learn new dishes from other places. I didn't travel to other continent just to learn two things and go back. I'm going with you, Ranma!", somewhere in her speech, she stood up, what surprised Ranma. He crossed his arms and sighed.
"You know, being a hunter is not easy. I don't want you to get hurt"
Akane sat down again, 'I know how hard is to be a hunter. I became one since you left'
"Anyway, since when you are in this journey of being a great cook?"
Akane looked at the sky calculating, "Four months. More or less two months after you left"
Ranma turned to look at her. 'She is beautiful', he thought and several images of her came in his mind. They were friends since they were children. Sometimes they had big fights, but nothing that could really distance them.
"And you? Why did you leave?", then she punched him, "And most important, why didn't you tell me?"
Ranma recuperated from Akane's punch and faced her. She was angry, but he felt she could cry at any minute. He sighed again, "Akane... since you are my friend, you have the right to know what happened"
---
After telling Akane everything that happened until now
"I see... I didn't know. Your parents just said you went on a training trip. They didn't want you to be seen as a monster. Although you change to a girl"
Ranma lied down, "I'm happy they did that. I hope they are fine I really miss them. As I miss everyone and everything and... you...", Ranma closed his eyes.
Akane blushed, "I... I missed you too, Ranma", she said not looking at him, "Actually, I... came here... Ranma, I need to tell you the truth. I came here just to see you again, 'cause I... I... I love you!", she turned to see a Ranma...
sleeping.
Akane was furious at first, but then noticed they were talking for a long time and Ranma should be tired from traveling. She lied down next to him and looked at his face, 'He still makes my heart beat faster', and after sometime slept.
Ryoga, who woke up in some moment during Ranma's speech of what happened to him during the last six months, thought, 'Stupid, he could stay awake just a few more seconds', then he reflected of what she said, 'She just came here to see this idiot. She crossed an ocean just to see him. There are crazy people for everything', he smiled and fell to sleep.
---
Three days later, Radatos, lunch time
"Two ramen, please", a man ordered.
"Two ramen!", Ranma said as he gave the order to Akane. They found a job in a small restaurant called 'Ramen and Pasta' near Radatos downtown.
During one interval, Ranma and Akane sat to have some food.
"Do you think Ryoga is alright? He's out for almost four days now"
"Oh, it happens", Ranma ate calmly his ramen, "He gets lost sometimes, but sometime he comes back and full of stories of the strange places he visited"
Akane watched Ranma. He wasn't worried about Ryoga and she couldn't understand that. "Ranma, I know Ryoga has this curse and all, but don't you feel a little worried?"
Ranma looked at Akane, a blank expression, "No, I don't have nothing to worry about"
"How can you be so cold!", she exasperated.
"What are you talking about? And why are you so worried about him, you just met him other day!", he said as exasperated as Akane.
"Why? Can't I worry about someone?", she yelled.
"But you met him three or four days ago!", he yelled back.
Akane stopped and then smiled, "Are you jealous?"
Ranma blushed furiously, "Jealous? Forget it, I would never...", then he noticed that she was right, 'But I'll never give her the delight to know it', he breathed and said, "Look, don't worry about Ryoga. This is Ryoga Hibiki we are talking about. He lived alone and very well before I met him", Ranma ate his ramen again.
"Well", Akane began, "I hope you are right", 'But that you were jealous, you were'
Back to work, Akane was singing silently a happy song. Ranma watched his friend, 'Why is she so happy?', he thought, got the order and went back to work.
---
Radatos, night
Ranma was walking alone in the streets. Akane was in the restaurant, their boss let them sleep there until they left, what, Ranma expected, would be soon, 'It just depends on Ryoga', he thought, but knew the guy would find his way back.
From the other side of the street a girl was holding a small wooden box and running. She sometimes looked behind her to see if someone was on her tracks. She saw a man walking and crossed the street.
Ranma turned to see what was going on. The girl collided with him and both fell on the ground.
"I'm sorry", the girl rushed to say. She looked at the box in her hands and then at guy in front of her. She let the box with the guy and ran away.
Ranma startled with the girl's action, "Hey!", he looked at the box and turned to the girl, "What the hell is this?", he yelled.
The girl stopped a moment and yelled back, "Keep it for me. I'll get it back!", she yelled and ran away again.
"But...", Ranma tried to say something, but the girl was very far away, 'Wow, she really runs fast', he thought and looked at the box in his hand, 'Why do I feel I'll have problems with this?', and walked to the restaurant.
---
Somewhere, a week since Ryoga got lost
Ryoga was receiving his payment for killing a giant eagle. "Thank you, mister hunter", the man said, "Nobody around here could kill this monster", he put a bag of gold coins on Ryoga's hand.
'Well, at least I got some money', "You're welcome. I just need a favor. Could you tell me what is the way Radatos?"
"Oh, sure, just goes this way", he pointed a direction, "And follow some signs. Then you will get there"
Ryoga sighed. He knew that he would lose the signs and lose his way, but thanked the man.
The last week was kind of unusual to Ryoga. He fought giant animals, killed demons and had to deal with a question a traveler asked him while he was in a bamboo field.
"Why do bamboos grow so furiously?"
There was something he had never thought about. 'I still don't know if that guy was stupid or intelligent', he crossed his arms as he reflected more about the question.
After some time walking Ryoga was in a forest. It was afternoon. Ryoga didn't like forests. He heard some noise and turned around. And was faster enough to avoid a small metallic object.
A spatula.
'Ok, just pay attention', Ryoga closed his eyes and waited.
"Left!", He threw two bandannas at his left side. A shadow avoided the bandannas and landed near Ryoga. He gasped, 'I'm seeing things', there was a girl, but she looked like a man or tried to. She had her hair tied in a ponytail and was dressed in a green outfit that resembled the Kuonji okonomiyaki clothes. She had an enormous spatula, looking coldly at him. Although her clothes were different, he couldn't forget her.
"Ukyo... it's really you?", he asked, still not believing in his eyes.
"I'm surprised that you still remember me, Ryoga", her grip on her weapon was stronger, "Now, prepare to die"