Chapter Eighteen: Heart to Heart

It only took Ryoga a few moments to spot Shampoo and the remainder of the group in the forest. Kuno was holding Ranma in his arms and from what Ryoga could tell she was once again unconscious. He ran over to them and startled Shampoo and Mousse a little as he arrived.

"Ryoga?" Shampoo replied, "What happen to you? Mousse and I saw you pass."

"It's a long story" Ryoga said in a rushed voice, "But I'm glad I found you. Now I can take you back to Ukyo and Akane."

"You found Akane?" Mousse replied.

"Uh huh. But first things first" he walked over to Kuno who stared back at him in confusion, "Uh. I'll take over from here."

"I beg your pardon" Kuno blinked.

"Trust me you don't want to be holding her when she wakes up" Ryoga said seriously trying to detach Ranma from his grasp.

"How dare you? Do you know who I am? I am the rising star of the kendo world. The Blue Thunder of Furinkan High. Tatewaki Kuno."

"Yes" Ryoga sighed with an angry frown, "I'm aware of that. I've met you before" he added, "Now hand her over."

"Take your hands off of me you fiend. I know far to well what you're really after."

"Now come on gentleman," Mousse said holding up his hands, "Now's notthe time for an argument."

"Shut up!" Ryoga and Kuno shouted at the same time.

Mousse backed off and Shampoo crossed her arms.

"You both being so silly fighting over Ranma" she shook her head.

"Oh I agree" Kodachi replied and then laughed, "I mean she's nothing special."

"How dare you say that about Ranma" Shampoo said suddenly becoming angry, "Shampoo won't have it."

"Do you want to fight me is that it you little hussy?" Kodachi grimaced getting into her fighting stance.

"Shampoo fight you" Shampoo agreed getting into her own stance.

They began to fight and amidst all the confusion Ranma was knocked out of Kuno's arms. Ryoga kicked him sharply in the face and then ran to Ranma's side scooping her up in his arms, since apparently she hadn't awoken even though she had been knocked to the ground. Mousse saw Ryoga departing and called to Shampoo.

"Come on!" he called, "Ryoga's leading us out of here."

"Aya!" Shampoo stopped fighting making Kodachi stop as well, "I coming!" she dashed after the two boys.

"Brother dear" Kodachi cried as she shook Kuno to revive him, "They're leaving without us."

"Uh!" he said deliriously as he continued to lie where Ryoga had kicked him, "Pigtailed girl."

"Oh brother dear" Kodachi shook her head angrily as she picked up his arms and began to drag him following far behind the others.

(Next Scene)

Shampoo and Mousse followed Ryoga until they came to the rocky area where they found Ukyo and Shampoo at the campsite. Akane and Ukyo looked up as they approached and Akane breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Ranma in his arms.

"Ranma" she gasped running over as Ukyo stood up slowly.

"Good job Ryoga" Ukyo replied, "You notonlymanaged to find Ranma but everyone else."

"Well they were with Ranma" Ryoga said as he laid Ranma down and Shampoo and Mousse joined them.

"Are you guys okay?" Ukyo asked them.

"We fine. But what happen to Ranma?" Shampoo demanded.

"Yes Ryoga" Akane nodded asking gently, "What did happen to him?"

"Well Akane, we were doing all right in our location of that creep. I mean we ran into some obstacles but we defeated them all. But we were located in an area filled with cold water."

"So that's how he turned back into a girl?" she concluded with a nod.

"Yes but he was still Ranma, that is until we ended up on the beach. Suddenly Ranma collapsed."

"What happened?"

"I don't know. I carried him away from the area so it wouldn't be so easy to get attacked again. When I woke him up he was talking like that sweet girl again."

"That means that there was that same scent in the air when Ranma collapsed" Akane deduced with a frown as Kodachi arrived pulling along the unconscious Kuno.

"I guess," Ryoga nodded as Ukyo eyed the siblings questionly, "We walked a little in the forest and then more water came our way and separated us."

"Mhm" Shampoo nodded, "We saw it. Right Mousse?"

"Oh yea" he nodded back enthusiastically.

"So then. All we have to do is turn him back into a guy" Akane said, "Hand me a water bottle Ukyo" she replied turning to the other girl.

"You got it sugar" Ukyo nodded picking up the bottle as Kodachi tried to revive her own brother and wasn't paying any attention to what was going on behind her.

Akane took the bottle gently and poured it over Ranma's body. Right before their eyes Ranma returned to his male form and winced a little as the hot water hit his skin. Akane threw the bottle to the side and placed her hands on top of his chest.

"Ranma" she said softly, "Ranma can you hear me?"

"Mmm" he mumbled as Kodachi turned her head as she heard him grunt surprised to see him there.

"Ranma" she replied as Ryoga blocked Shampoo from getting any closer to the boy, "Ranma wake up. It's me. Akane."

"Uh" he opened his eyes slowly and saw her staring back at him the tears in her eyes quite clear, "Akane" he smiled and placed a hand on her cheek surprising both Kodachi and Shampoo, "Where am I?"

"You're back with us Ranma honey," Ukyo answered leaning close by with Ryoga beside us, "Ryoga brought you back."

"Ryoga. What happened to me man?" he asked as he sat up slowly and felt the back of his head.

"He happened Ranma" Ryoga said shaking his head, "He got in our way again. He's trying to really prevent us from finding him I think."

"That's for damn sure" Ranma nodded but then was startled a little by the other faces he saw, "Mousse? Shampoo? When did you guys get here?"

"We found you Ranma" Mousse answered not sure what to say.

"Oh Ranma!" Shampoo exclaimed throwing her arms around the stunned boy, "Shampoo so worried about you!"

"Hey knock it off would ya!" Ranma shouted trying to pull her off as Akane turned her head slightly.

"You heard him you little hussy" Kodachi countered coming over as Kuno sat up fully recovered, "Get your hands off of him. Don't worry Ranma darling. I will take care of you" she caressed his face.

"No" Ranma protested, "Leave me alone" he stood up with both of them crowding him as Ukyo crossed her arms and looked at Ryoga.

"Ranma Saotome you fiend!" Kuno replied picking up his wooden sword, "How dare you! Un guard!" he held it up.

"I said leave me alone!" Ranma shouted angrily and they all took a step back, "Just back off!"

"Ranma" Akane said just as surprised as everyone.

"No. I've had it Akane. It's time we got a few things straight around here. Don't you think?" he said turning to her seriously.

"Uh" Akane shrugged, "I don't know."

"Ranma" Ryoga interrupted, "Are you sure this is the right time for this?"

"Yes Ryoga" Ukyo nodded moving forward, "It's the best time."

"Ukyo?" Ranma looked at her quizzically.

"It's okay Ranma honey" she smiled happily, "I already know. But they don't. And I think it's time they did."

"What going on here?" Shampoo asked crossing her arms as Kodachi, Kuno, and Mousse watched the boy.

"Ranma darling?" Kodachi added.

"Okay first of all" Ranma said, "Don't call me that," he added looking at her straight in the eye, "Sit down everyone. I have a few things I have to say" he walked over to Akane and whispered in her ear, "It'll be all right."

She nodded and walked over to sit down next to Ukyo and Ryoga.

"All right" Ranma replied when the other three had sat down, "I'm going to put this as nicely as I can, that is if you listen to me. And I mean really listen."

"Okay Ranma" Shampoo nodded with a smile.

Ranma sighed and then took a deep breath.

"When I first came to Nerima I only had one thing on my mind. And that was Martial arts" he said carefully to not reveal to the Kunos about his secret, "When my father and I arrived at the Tendo dojo I was told that I had to choose a fiancée out of three of Mr. Tendo's daughters. In the end Akane was chosen for me. Akane was my fiancée. Then Shampoo came into town. Granted at first she wanted to kill me" he added with a frown making Shampoo lower her face and smile while Mousse watched on horrified, "But then she wanted to marry me" he said and Kodachi scoffed from the side with a frown, "Based on the fact that it's an Amazon rule" Ranma shook his head, "I didn't agree to it then, and I don't agree to it now" he added firmly.

"Ranma" Shampoo said angrily with a frown, "Youno want to go back on your word."

"What word!" Ranma shouted loudly, "Did I ever make any promises to you?"

"How dare you shout at her like that Saotome!" Mousse yelled back, "I won't have it!"

"You stay out of it. The only reason you're so mad at me is because of her crazy belief that I ever agreed to that stupid marriage contract. I don't agree. I won't agree. Shampoo" he took a breath, "Please try to understand me. I can't marry you."

"Ranma?" she said a bit confused.

"Why would you want to marry someone like me anyway? When you already have someone in your life that adores you? Who loves you? Who would do practically anything for you?" he replied indicating Mousse, "I'm not the one for you Shampoo. I never was," he added.

Shampoo lowered her head as he turned and faced Ukyo.

"U chan. I know that my father promised your father that I'd marry you, even though he already knew I had a fiancée."

"Ranma" Ukyo smiled.

"But you got to understand, again it wasn't something I agreed to."

"I know Ranma" she nodded, "And I'm okay with that."

"You really are?"

"Mhm."

"Good" he sighed in relief and then turned back around, "And now for you two" he stared at Kuno and his sister, "Kodachi. You're a nice a girl and I'm sure someday you will make some man very happy but" he interrupted her before she could go into her tirade of how much she loved him, "That's not me. I am not the man who is going to marry you."

"Ranma darling. Don't be silly," she giggled.

"I'm not. I'm serious."

"But Ranma" she stood up, "Do you really hate me that much?" she cried.

"It's not about that" he took Akane's hand and lifted her up pulling her close to him, "The truth is, even though it never seemed like it, I only had my eye on one girl. And that one girl is my fiancée" he looked at Akane, "Akane."

"What?" Shampoo replied.

"Ranma darling" Kodachi added.

"She was my fiancée before either of you came into my life. And before you stand and try to strike at my Kuno" he said as he saw Kuno's furious gaze, "She was my fiancée before you met her too, just so you know that."

"He's right Kuno" Akane nodded, "Shampoo. Kodachi."

Kuno lowered his weapon as Ranma pulled Akane even closer.

"You might as well know" Ranma continued, "I love her. I have never said that to any of you. No one. Except her."

"And" Kuno swallowed, "Do you feel the same, Akane Tendo?"

"Yes" Akane nodded, "I do. I love him."

"Shampoo will never allow this" Shampoo said standing up angrily.

"Please Shampoo" Mousse began, "Maybe they have a point."

"Be quiet!" she shouted, "Akane. Prepare to die!" she lunged at her at the same time that Kodachi did but Ukyo and Ryoga blocked their path.

"You're not going to do anything to them" Ukyo replied.

"That's right" Ryoga nodded, "Ranma and Akane. You two better go off somewhere alone. Maybe you can locate the others. We'll handle this crowd."

"Thanks man" Ranma nodded back as he held onto Akane.

"We owe you one Ukyo" Akane added.

"Don't thank us. Just go" Ukyo replied and they nodded before they dashed off leaving Ukyo and Ryoga to deal with the upset Shampoo, Kodachi, and Kuno.

(Next Scene)

"Do you really think this was such a good idea telling them all this now Ranma?" Akane asked as they ran.

"Have to tell them some time" he replied, "Besides once we got out of here, I intend to make it official."

"Official?" Akane stopped stunned.

"Yea" he nodded stopping a few feet in front of her and then walking about, " About us. I wasn't kidding Akane. I want the world to know the truth. I want them to know that I love you."

"Oh Ranma" her eyes softened as she fell into his arms.

"You're my fiancée and no one else's" he whispered, "I'm the one you're going to marry. Me and me alone."

(Till Next Time)

Authors Note: Get ready for a major update. I fully intend to finish this book some time this weekend. Another thing this book will be broken up into two parts so when I am done with this one Series two will begin sometime at the end of next month!

Next Chapter: Chapter Nineteen: Hearing Dad's Side of the Story

Ranma and Akane finally discover their fathers in a strange location of the tower. The whole story of how they met Kinnosuke is revealed. See what happens next time!