Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma or any of the characters, they belong to the wonderful Rumiko Takahashi.

AN: Here comes a bit more content: the story will remain romantic, but a bit action here and there won't hurt, and I had this idea a long time ago, so I am trying to morph my inspirations into something you'll hopefully enjoy.

oOo

"This is absurd, not a single soul is going to believe ya." For an hour, Ryoga has told the story about the events of his most recent journey, and his two listeners did not interrupt him the whole time. Now, as he was finished, Taro, formerly known as Pantyhose-Taro, broke his silence to hit his clenched fist on the counter. Ryoga agreed with a sinister undertone in his voice. "Don't you dare believe I haven't thought of that myself. I know Ranma and these arrogant amazons will probably laugh their asses off." Taro shook his head, donning an evil smile. "Now, who says you should tell the sex-changer anyway?" Big eyes were staring at the cursed boy. "Why wouldn't I? Of course, I need to warn him, he is… sort of, my friend after all." Ryoga fell silent, contemplating his words. Ukyo came to his aid: "He is right, we have to warn everyone." She raised an eyebrow at Taro. "In fact, it was pure coincidence that Ryoga came by my shop to warn you, don't you think sugar?" Taro became silent, a pink hue settling down on his cheeks. He mumbled: "Okay, I was going to drop by the Tendo's anyways." Ryoga retrieved his voice. "What are you doing in Nerima anyway?" The Chinese boy smirked. "Now, it wasn't until two months ago that the village elders at my hometown accepted the official change of my name. It was quite some back and forth with the old geezer and the paperwork, but finally I can call myself Taro."

"And now you're back to thank the old gramps?"

"Of course not, there is nothing to thank him for, he owed me."

"So why are you here then?" Both, Taro and Ukyo became silent, blushing, and suddenly everything seemed more interesting than their vis-à-vis. Ryoga on the other hand grew impatient. "What's the problem, have you lost your voice? Or are you up for a fight?" Taro regained his temper, ready to scream back, yet again Ukyo interfered: "Why don't we go visit the Tendo dojo and tell Ranma about everything?" Ukyo surely wasn't exited to face Akane for the second time today, but her guts told her the encounter between the three men would ask for some female guidance. And it was the least she could do not to let Akane handle that by herself. She sighed in surrender: they were going to know the truth anyway, so maybe it was better to just let happen as soon as possible. After a brief moment of silence, the boys nodded in agreement and the trio went off to the Tendo dojo.

oOo

Merely a minute has passed after Nabiki's prediction before a vigorous knocking on the front door startled the teens. Nabiki, luckily busy with the tea, would not notice the awkwardness that had spread between Ranma and Akane during this minute. Feelings of curiosity, shame, guilt, insecurity, and something stronger but unspeakable, unthinkable, raged inside their chests while their minds were filled with numerous questions, but before either would dare to speak up, reality interfered. Ranma raced to the front door.

"Hey Uk….." He paused at the sight of the chef's companions, each of them holding their own umbrella to avoid their transformation in the rain. "The hell is this? P-chan, I didn't know you were friends with Pantyhose Taroughhhhhhh…." Taro's hand was faster than Ranma could react and it got hold of his throat. "Who do you call Pantyhose-Taro?"

Akane came forward, in expectation to see her beloved pet. "Did you say P-chan is back? I haven't seen him in weeks… Oh!" Hesitantly, she stood in the hallway, rather startled to see Ukyo again, with Ryoga at her side. Just at second glance, she recognized the tall, tanned boy threatening Ranma. "Taro-san?" The boy turned his head to Akane and immediately let go of Rama. "Akane, good to see you. I hope we are not disturbing?" Dumbfounded, Akane regarded the strange quartet in front of her. She felt, how the current events had literally left her mind somewhat slow on the uptake. "N…no, but what are you doing here? Ryoga?" Trying to grasp at a straw, she addressed the kind, ever so lost boy. He blushed and scratched the back of his head, moved by the girl's direct question. "We'll explain, Akane-san. Could we come in?"

In an instant, the group was seated at the family table, whilst Nabiki served tea. Of course, the middle Tendo daughter did not do so out of kindness or to act in the place of Kasumi: Nabiki knew exactly, that this uncommon gathering was about to result into some valuable information that she might eventually use to her financial benefit. She poured tea into the last cup in front of her and self-confidently as usual, opened the conversation: "Taro, how was your trip back home? Bureaucracy taken care of?" Taro raised an eyebrow. "Sure, I told you I won't be back until I have a passable legal name…"

"I'd suggest you get some passable manners... and a passable face could be of some use as well." Ranma slurped his tea audibly.

"Now, I guess you must be the expert for etiquette, transvestite." Taro hissed between teeth.

"Certainly, more than you, buffalo snout."

"Now listen here, you little cu…."

"Enough!" Ukyo hit her hands flat onto the table. Her sight wandered to the lost boy. "Ryoga, why don't you tell them, why we are here?" All eyes remained on Ryoga, yet the only eyes he felt like piercing rays were Akane's. Not having been in her presence for the last couple weeks has been somewhat relaxing: whenever Ryoga was not around the youngest Tendo, he could actually think with his head instead of his heart and make reasonable decisions. However, his longing for her was strong, genuine, and persistent all the same, and despite his intentions to leave her for good and focus on a possible future with Akari, he would often find himself fantasising about their reunion. In these fantasies, he would eventually face her as the savour of the hour. Well, maybe this would be the closest, he could ever get to that. But now, the challenge occured to tell a story true and believable enough, without revealing his secret identity to Akane. He had thought of a good enough modification of the true incidents during their walk to the Tendo dojo.

"You're right Ukyo, I shouldn't hold back any longer. I came to Nerima to warn you guys… all of you, as a new enemy is about to show up." He paused, regarding each and everyone with a meaningful look. Of course, he didn't admit that he actually tried to escape to China before sharing the information with his friends. It didn't matter anymore, what mattered was that Akane hung on his lips at the very moment. Ryoga continued:

"It began about two weeks ago. I was traveling in the southern part of Japan, aiming at perfecting my techniques in the arts. I was out in the woods, living by myself and minding my business, when an older, ordinary looking man came across my way. He claimed that he was a lone wanderer and retired biologist, roaming nature to collect plants and insects, and he asked me to stay with me for a couple days, as he sought shelter in my presence. Of course, I conceded, but then it turned out that the old guy himself used to be into martial arts. I ended up gaining a compatible sparring partner for the following days. The more days we trained together, I recognized, the better he got better each day, and it wasn't before he finally blew off my attacks with no effort, that I realized something was shady about that guy. Don't get me wrong, I don't mind losing if it is in an honourable fight, but I sensed, that there was something fishy about the techniques he used….

When I confronted him about his abilities, he wrapped himself in silence about it. However, sooner or later our conversations evolved around the training in Jusenkyo and the cursed springs. He was suspiciously curious about that topic and when I told him about the people who fell victim to the cursed springs…" Here, Ryoga eyed Ranma and Taro sternly, "he repeatedly asked me about further details about them and where to find them. At first, I didn't offer further information, but then he challenged me to a duel: If he was about to win in a fair fight, I would give him all the information I knew about the cursed martial artists; if I won, he would teach me his most powerful technique. Obviously, I couldn't decline that, so we fought…"

"And let me guess, you lost." Ranma, bored and with no intention not to show his boredom, supported himself on the table. "And now that guy knows our names. So what? If he's just an old vagabond, who cares that he knows our names."

"Ryoga, I agree, I don't see the point. Did he say that he is going to threaten cursed people? Maybe he just wants to talk to them for scientific reason." Akane regarded the lost boy questioningly. Ryoga blushed as he was directly spoken to. "I don't think threaten is the correct term. He literally wants to collect us.. I mean them." Ranma and Akane gasped at the dramatic choice of words. It was only then when Taro took the floor.

"That guy seems to have a special technique, that drains your energy during a fight whilst all resistance is futile. He literally sucks away your aura."

"Happōgoensatsu!" Ranma, Akane and Nabiki answered in unison, while Ukyo nodded affirmatively. Taro continued: "What remains is a week shell that he effortlessly collects to his compilation of dehumidified creatures." At that, Ranma flinched, painfully remembering the state Akane was in at Phoenix mountain. Briefly, he regarded her, but her eyes hung at Taro's lips like glue, which was disturbingly annoying to Ranma. That guy had kidnapped her once and spend the night with her at that lonely rock, and here she sat, addressing him with honorifics and eying him a bit too intensely for his taste. Ranma shook off the creeping feeling of panic with a cocky remark: "So he defeated Ryoga, okay, but that doesn't mean he is a threat to me or even you, Panties." Upon hearing his old nickname, Taro threw the cookie he was nibbling at Ranma, which he easily caught. Ryoga answered: "I will ignore that affront but let me tell you Ranma: I fought him for real, it wasn't just some lame game." Pain and frustration resonated in his voice, telling Ranma, that Ryoga left out a crucial part of the story that included his own fate as a victim of Jusenkyo. The lost boy's next statement left no room for doubt: "I used Shishi Hōkōdan as my final attack, and it was useless." Ranma nodded sternly. Shishi Hōkōdan was the most powerful attack Ryoga could pull, and it had almost brought him to his knees if it wasn't for Akane who subconsciously managed to distract Ryoga so that he harmed himself with the attack. The group became silent. Akane put a hand on Ryoga's shoulder. He looked like a picture of misery, but she needed to ask the question everyone was eager to hear. "And Ryoga, did you tell him were Ranma and the Amazons live?" Without facing her, he shook his head. "No, I did not. After the fight, I was unconsciousness for a couple days. When I woke up, I managed to escape secretly. I don't know why he was so foolish not to take better precautions, but here I am, warning you. Either, we… ehm, you try to get to Jusenkyo to get rid of the curse, or he will hunt you and the amazons." He turned his head to Akane, whose hand still rested assuring on his shoulder. A shiver went down his spine. She was willingly touching him, in his human state, this was exactly how he imagined their reunion. He fell silent and got lost in her brown eyes, but she averted them facing her ignorant fiancé. "Ranma, I believe we ought to take that serious."

Ranma raised an eyebrow at Akane. Now why is she so touchy with Ryoga all of a sudden? It's not like pork chop is risking his life for the likes of us, his own, coward ham was in danger and now he is probably asking me and Taro for help. What a wimp. Why wouldn't she just take her hand away from him…? Wait, why is Pantyhose in that story anyways? And U-chan?

Ranma turned to Ukyo who sat next to him. "What's your part in all of that?"

"Oh, Ryoga came by my restaurant and told me about the events."

"He hung out at your place?" Ranma asked startled. Akane couldn't help but recognize the irritation in his voice. What's the problem with Ryoga hanging out at Ukyo's?

The lost boy interrupted her thought, clarifying the misunderstanding: "It was pure coincidence. I was… I don't know, I just happened to show up at her doorstep. Akane-san, it doesn't mean anything... "

Ranma rolled his eyes. The lost boy continued: "It was more surprising, that Taro appeared naturally at Ukyo's doorstep." Now all eyes were fixed on Ukyo and Taro, who again, stared at their teacups not daring to pursue the conversation. Nabiki, who had stayed silent for the entire time, was the first who smelled a rat. "Now I remember. I saw Taro at the shopping plaza, with a big bouquet of flowers. I knew, those must have been for a girl, but man, I didn't fathom it could be Ukyo you were seeing."

"You got me flowers?" Ukyo exclaimed in excitement, totally forgetting the interrogation about their relationship, facing Taro with a flushed face. Taro stared onto the table in front of him, not believing that he had to discuss that there and now. No, he had not bought the flowers for her, because they were too expensive. He had simply stood there, contemplating about maybe getting her a bouquet like that one day, but certainly not then. After all, he was still a poor vagabond and he didn't know why Ukyo was interested in him in the first place. He clenched his teeth, when Ranma exploded: "You're not telling me, you're dating him?" The remark came out louder and harsher than anticipated, as he gained surprised looks from Nabiki and Ukyo alike, whilst Akane's grip on Ryoga's shoulder became a nuance tighter. Why would he care about who she dates?

Taro snapped back, forgetting his embarrassment as the remark from this arrogant sex-changer ticked him off: "I guess she is interested in someone more manly." A dark shadow appeared on Ranma's face as he clenched his fist: "Now what's manly about some fabulous creature with angel wings?" However, it was Akane's aura that flared dangerously as she dug her fingers deeper into Ryogas's flesh; his shoulder would certainly be dislocated by now, yet he was oblivious to the pain as he was still overwhelmed by her mere touch. Ukyo came forward: "Sooner or later you were going to find out anyway, so here it comes: Taro is going to be my date at the wedding." She smiled happily at her now official, cursed boyfriend.

"What?" This time, Ranma and Nabiki exclaimed their disbelief; Ranma, because now his narcissistic ego did win over his wits, and Nabiki, because she feared for the expensive wedding, as the chance of an absolute catastrophe increased exponentially with every cursed martial artist that happened to be invited. Taro crossed his arms self-assured about Ukyo's words. "I won't cause any trouble, as long as the transvestite doesn't trigger me with anything stupid…"

"Zip it, bull face!" This time, not a single cookie but the whole plate flew towards Ranma, but again the boy was faster, jumping over the table with a flying kick sending Taro flying. The pouring rain outside quickly transformed the boy into the winged monster, that crashed into the wall with a loud bash. Smirking, Ranma was about to shout an insult, when Akane lost it, pulling her mallet, and sending him right after into the pond. Incensed, the red head rose from the water to yell at his fiancé, but Taro was faster and in an instant the two were engaged in a vigorous fight. Having released some of her anger, Akane turned to Ryoga, who massaged his battered shoulder. "So, what should we do now?"

"I think that sooner or later, we have to face that guy, it is only a question of time. He seemed determined enough to look out for the victims of Jusenkyo. I say we should seek a cure and go to China."

"And how would you finance that?" Nabiki cut in. "If you're making plans, you should stay realistic. There is no way you'll make it in time to Jusenkyo." Ukyo added: "She is right Ryoga. Maybe Ranma is correct, and there is a chance of victory if we fight with combined forces." She smiled fiercely. "With Taro and the Amazons, we can't lose. And we could ask Ninomiya-sensei and the old geezer for further details about the Happōgoensatsu."

Akane nodded in agreement. "Alright, we should make a plan to be prepared. If we want it or not, we have to work together." Outside, the winged bull and the red-haired girl were at each other's throat. Ukyo sighed "Speaking of teamwork, we should inform these blockheads about not crushing each other." Akane watched the combat and remained silent.

oOo

After Ranma and Taro had calmed down, the guests stayed for dinner in order to discuss their strategy. To some extent, Akane was happy about the turmoil as it saved her from having to talk to Ranma, on the other hand Ryoga's story and the outlook for the new opponent scarred her. If it wasn't for Ranma's self-confident attitude, she might be more worried, but truth be told, Ranma had always been superior to his challengers and there was a good chance, that also this fight will turn out to be a victory for team Ranma. So, as Akane finally laid down in her bed, she was finally able to process the more important events of the day.

He kissed me.

It almost seemed like an eternity had passed, but she could recall the exact feeling of his hands and his lips and his tongue. The moment she began to replay the happening in her head, her body started boiling and her heartbeat danced out of rhythm. She closed her eyes and retrieved the moment he pressed her hand on his heart. Not that the kiss itself was probably the most special moment she had ever experienced, but considering the physical activities Ranma was already engaged in, she could never be sure, that sharing a kiss with her would be any special to him: Being publicly kissed by a boy, Mikado Sanzenin; smooching her while being in Nekoken without being aware of it; having Shampoo and Kodachi hanging all over him all the time… was the kiss as big of a deal to him as it was to her? She knew she'd remain insecure, but this little gesture of placing her hand right onto his raging heartbeat indicated that this moment must have been special to him, too. Until that point Akane hadn't known how much joy a human heart was able to endure but she was pretty sure hers was rather close to bursting into a thousand pieces.

All the more, his subsequent behaviour was devastating. His pure jealousy towards Taro resembled a slap in her face. Her stomach turned at the thought of his exclamation toward Ukyo. "You're dating him?" Her thoughts were swarming as her jealousy rose, every now and then returning to the picture of him placing her hand onto his chest, kissing her, kissing her, voluntarily and consciously… why would he care about who Ukyo was dating? Why was he acting, as if nothing has happened between them just minutes ago?

The longer she tossed and turned in her bed, the more she longed for a clarifying conversation with Ranma, otherwise sleep was not going to come. Weirdly enough, she sensed his presence. She perked up her ears, trying to spot a creak on the roof above her. She couldn't hear but feel his presence.

She wondered if Ranma felt the need for clarification, too. That baka, probably he didn't even think about her or the kiss but the upcoming combat: the challenge he had longed for. Hey heart felt heavy. Yearning for fresh air, she tiptoed towards the window to open it. Gazing out into the starry sky, she asked herself hesitantly if she should take up her courage and join him on the roof. Again, she hearkened, only hearing the chirping of crickets. As much as she wanted to talk to him, the roof was his territory: she felt like it was the only place where he could retreat and be alone to let his thoughts flow. She respected that and chose not to intrude. Reluctantly she closed her window again and decided to try out some meditation to calm her nerves.

Ranma laid on the roof, his hands folded under his head, and gazed at the stars when he heard that one window slight open. His heart races in anticipation. She knew he'd be up on the roof, maybe she'd come and visit? Sit down and talk? As much as he hated talking about profound topics, he was longing for some togetherness with Akane.

After dinner, he had gotten the chance for a private discussion with Ryoga. Like expected, the lost boy had not told the complete story in front of Akane. "Of course, the guy knew about my curse, that's how he got to know about Yusenkyo in the first place" Ryoga had admitted. "After some friendly attempts to get the information about cursed people, he offered to make a deal and settle it once and for all in combat. I was sure to have the upper hand when using the lion's roar blast, but he proved me wrong." Ranma had listened and contemplated. "Now, don't you think the guy let you escape on purpose to follow you?" The two boys exchanged looks. Ryoga answered: "I didn't dare to say so in front of the others. However, I was planning to escape to China and drag him away from you but… I guess my compass is broken." He held a small device dangling on a golden chain. It has been a present from Akari. The fact, that Ryoga still held onto it after it had not been working properly for months indicated, that he still cared for the pig breeder. Relieved, Ranma put his hand reassuring on Ryoga's intact shoulder. Whenever the lost boy did not make efforts to trying to steal Akane from him, he felt a deep, brotherly empathy for him. "It's alright. I am sure we can handle this. With the aid of Happosai and Hinako, I don't see why we shouldn't be able to defeat the geezer." Ryoga nodded, but his face reflected sorrow. "The appearance of Pantyhose-Taro doesn't make this easier. He might be on Ukyo's side, but I don't think we can trust that guy. Let's be careful about him."

Ranma winced. No, the appearance of Pantyhose was not a good sign at all. They had parted on somewhat friendly terms when Taro left a year ago dragging a shackled Happosai with him, but Ranma couldn't call that winged bull a friend. The more alerting was that mysterious relationship U-chan had developed with Pantyhose. It was not the fact, that she had dumped Ranma for the likes of him; simply the circumstance of having a good friend getting so close to a dangerous weirdo like Pantyhose set his alarm bells ringing. In her stead it could have been Nabiki, Kasumi, even Shampoo, or Ryoga for all its worth, he would have reacted the same way. Of course, Akane would take it the wrong way. A clarifying word with her was necessary to prevent further misunderstandings.

He sat in silence, waiting for further noises from beneath. After a moment, the sound of shutting the window smashed his hopes. Another lonely night on the roof it is. Maybe it is better that way, who knows what his foot-in-the-mouth-syndrome would have brought up if she had come. He sighed, directing his thoughts back to their kiss. Instantly, a wholesome feeling spread from his chest through his body. Even though the timing of current events was unsuitable as usual, he felt like the path into the right direction was taken. He closed his eyes and smiled. Composure. Patience. Anything goes.

oOo