When Ranma, Akane, Genma, and Soun arrived back at the spot where they had left the others they discovered that Mousse and Kuno and Shampoo and Kodachi were in hand-to-hand combat. Happosai and Cologne were sitting on the sidelines surprisingly, confused about what was going on while Ryoga and Ukyo watched together with matching frowns.
"What in the world is going on here?" Ranma asked as they stopped a few feet from them both.
"Son in law" Cologne replied, "Akane. You're both all right."
"Yea, we're fine" Akane nodded, "But what's going on? Why are they fighting with one another?"
"Who knows?" Happosai said shaking his head, "We just arrived ourselves."
"Hmm" Ranma frowned as he walked over and stood next to Ryoga, "Do you two know what happened?"
"Oh, hi Ranma honey" Ukyo replied somewhat distracted, "Actually they've been like this since you left."
"What? How did that happen?"
"Well it started with Shampoo and Kodachi arguing over what you said earlier" Ryoga began to explain.
"He's mine!" Kodachi yelled whipping her ribbon at the other girl.
"No! He mine!" Shampoo shouted back as the blocked with her own weapons.
"And then" Ryoga continued, "Mousse started to defend Shampoo and Kuno got into the whole thing."
"Un guard you ruffian!" Kuno replied brandishing his sword.
"You'd better watch out Samurai boy!" Mousse said back as he thrust his weapons forward.
"And that's where we are now" Ryoga concluded crossing his arms.
"I get it" Ranma sighed as he continued to frown, "So in other words they didn't listen to a thing I said before I took off" he moved towards the others.
"Ranma" Akane replied a bit worried.
"It's okay Akane" Ranma said with a slight smile and in a gentle tone that surprised everyone who was listening, "I'll handle it."
He stuck his fingers between his teeth and whistled loudly stopping the four of them dead in their tracks.
"Ranma?" Shampoo replied.
"Ranma darling" Kodachi said as Mousse and Kuno stared back at his furious expression.
"Do you guys think that this is going to get you anywhere?" he replied crossing his arms, "I thought I made myself perfectly clear before I left."
"Uh" Kodachi began looking down at the ground.
"You see, we were" Shampoo said stuttering a little.
"Uh huh. Well stop it. And you two are no better" he shouted to Kuno and Mousse who both looked exhausted from fighting, "This is not the time for this. Now that all of us are finally back together, we need to figure out a way out of this place" he spoke to the entire group.
"I agree" Ryoga nodded.
"Enough nonsense" Ukyo added.
"Son in law" Cologne said hopping forward on her stick.
"Hmm?" he turned around to face her directly.
"What exactly did you say before you left?"
"That's not important" Ranma shook his head as he avoided her eyes, "What is, is finding our way out of here."
"Yes, but Ranma" Ryoga replied, "How do we find our way out of here? Lately all we have been able to do is wander around like we're in some kind of maze. And I mean everyone, not just me."
Ranma was silent for a moment and as everyone took a seat on the ground while he remained standing, he began to walk around as he explained.
"Akane and I discovered something while we were in here before you guys came in. Remember?" he said to her.
"Mhm" she nodded.
"You discovered the secret boy?" Genma asked astonished.
"Yea" Ranma nodded, "How did you know about it?"
"Well we discovered it when we were first trapped in here" Soun explained.
"What secret?" Ukyo asked.
"Well every time we wished for something" Ranma said, "It appeared before us."
"Wished for something?" Mousse replied scratching his head as Kuno and Kodachi shrugged their shoulders.
"How do you mean?" Shampoo asked.
"I think we're gonna have to show them Ranma" Akane replied standing up.
"Mhm" he nodded, "We need to demonstrate something."
"But what?"
"Hmm. I have an idea. We've been wandering around this tower for days now without any knowledge about how far down we have gone, or even if we have."
"Oh. Good idea" Akane nodded understanding completely what he was getting at, "Try it."
"I wish, there was a way to find out where we are," he said distinctly.
Suddenly in front of them a large window appeared. They all stood up astonished.
"Wow" Ukyo breathed, "That's amazing."
"Yea. How did you do that?" Ryoga added his eyes wide.
"I told you" Ranma said moving forward towards the window, "Whatever you wish. Now to see exactly where we are in the tower, all we do is look out the window" he opened it and gazed outside, "We should be able to see, where we are" his voice trailed off as he stared out the window confused.
"What's the matter Ranma?" Akane asked noticing his expression.
"Ryoga" Ranma replied his eyes wide, "Tell me I'm not seeing things."
"What do you mean?" Ryoga said.
"Come here and see for yourself" Ranma insisted.
Ryoga sighed and moved forward his eyes becoming wider as he saw what was below them.
"Well?"
"There's no mistaking about it" Ryoga said stunned, "But how is that possible. That's. That's" he stammered.
"Jusenkyo" Ranma nodded, "Yea."
(Next Scene)
"Jusenkyo!" Genma and Mousse replied at the same time rushing forward knocking the two boys out of the way, "It is Jusenkyo!"
"Let me see you two nutcases!" Happosai replied hopping in front of him, "I want to see. Whoa! I don't believe it."
"But how is this possible?" Ryoga repeated faintly.
"I don't know man" Ranma shook his head, "But I think this kooky tower has the ability to move around from different places. Which gives me an idea" he smiled suddenly.
"Ranma?" Akane replied quizzically as he thought out loud.
"If we're this close to Jusenkyo then this could be our chance. Unfortunately. Yea" he nodded, "Does anybody have any cold water?" he asked.
"What do you need cold water for?" she asked.
"Akane, I can't believe I am saying this" he replied placing his hands onto her shoulders, "But I think you and I need to go back to that room. You know, the one where we were trapped?"
"Yes but" Akane shook her head still confused.
"Here's the water Ranma" Ukyo replied handing him the bottle.
"Thanks Ukyo" Ranma smiled holding it over his head.
"Ranma?" Akane said as he poured all over him.
"Ah! That's cold" Ranma replied back in his girl form.
"Ranma why did you?" Akane began.
"Pigtailed girl!" Kuno shouted as he ran towards her, "How I have longed to find" she punched her fist into his face stopping him completely, "You" he slid down her fist and fell to the ground.
"Ranma I don't understand" Akane shook her head at his stupidity and then turned back to her fiancée, "Why did you do that?"
"It's really quite simple Akane" Ranma said with a grin, "You and I are gonna get ourselves captured again."
"Huh?" Akane replied scratching the back of her head as Ranma crossed her arms still smiling.
(Till Next Time)
Authors Note: Hey guys! Okay I have had major writers block for these last three chapters of Series One. There are only two more after this and they are probably going to be shorter than most but I will try to get them done by the end of the month. After that I will take a break and be back with Series Two in August! Hope you enjoyed it and I will see you all later!
Next Chapter:
Chapter Twenty-One: Fake Surrender
In order to discover Kinnosuke's weakness Akane and Ranma return as prisoners to the mysterious room. Find out what happens next time!
