Situation

Mia slowly woke up on this Saturday morning and stretched. She got out of the bed and went over to the mirror. She could see her other self in the reflection in it. The young man with blue hair in a pony tail known to everyone as Ranma Saotome.

How long can I keep this up? she asked in thought, I want to tell them but I can't. What a coward I am. Suddenly, a knock came from the front door. She put on her bath robe and went and opened the door. To her surprise, there stood Akane and Ryoga and both of them looked shocked.

"I can't believe it," Akane stated, "you really do stay here."

"N-No I don't," Mia stuttered.

"Then," Ryoga said calmly, "why do you look like you just woke up?" Ryoga had her there.

"Why are you staying in this hell hole?" Akane asked curiously, "this is the worst hotel in town." Mia was silent.

I have to think of something, she thought, think man. Think! Mia then looked at them.

"Let me get dressed and we can talk at your dojo," she stated. Akane and Ryoga didn't make a move. Finally, they nodded their heads. Mia closed the door to get changed. After a short while, she came out wearing some winter clothes and a jacket. The three of them went to the Tendo Dojo. Waiting for them at the house was Soun, Genma, Happosai, Kasumi, Nabiki, Ina, and Sho. Everyone sat down around the table and stared at Mia.

"Now please tell us," Ina said with a sad look in her eyes, "why are you staying at the worst hotel in town?"

"Well," Mia said hesitantly, "there is a reason."

"Can we hear it?" Ryoga asked. Then, Mousse entered the room with Shampoo and Ukyo. Ukyo sat next to Ryoga, and Mousse and Shampoo sat together.

"They told us about this," Mousse stated, "I just can't believe that you are staying there."

"Same here," Ukyo added, "there are better hotels in town."

"But it was the cheapest," Mia argued.

"Why you stay in that shit hole?" Shampoo asked.

"Well," Mia began, "I live on my own. Actually, my funds are about to run out. But it's not like I had a choice. My mother is dead, and my father abandoned us when I was a child." Everyone remained silent.

"Really?" Akane asked sadly.

"Yes," Mia replied, "I have no idea where my father is, and my mother passed away only a little while ago. I don't have a job and not a lot of money to begin with. I chose the cheapest place, even though I know it's a shit hole."

"Why didn't you come to us for help?" Ukyo asked, "I'm the only one working at my shop. I can gladly give you a job there."

"Also," Mousse added, "we work at a cafe called Cat Cafe. I'm sure that Shampoo's great-grandmother would give you a job. All you need to do is ask." Mia remained silent.

"And we definitely need to get you out of that hotel," Akane stated, "you can stay here." Mia stared at Akane and looked like she was about to cry.

"You are very kind," Mia replied, "but I really don't want to cause trouble."

"Hold it," Ina stated, "Akane, you don't have a lot of space here. Why not let her stay at my father's dojo?" Everyone turned to Ina and Sho.

"I don't mind," Sho stated, "after all, we do have a lot of space." Everyone didn't move right away.

"Actually," Happosai stated, "she could stay in Akane's room. She does have enough room in her room for another girl."

"I do," Akane said happily, "I don't mind." Mia stared at Happosai and then turned away. Tears started falling down from her eyes.

"Mia?" Ukyo asked cautiously.

"I*sniff* appreciate this," Mia said through her tears, "but please stop. I don't deserve this."

"What you talking about?" Shampoo asked curiously.

"It's nothing to cry over," Akane stated.

"Stop this," Mia cried, "I don't deserve this after all the lies I've told you." Mia got up and ran towards the garden.

"Wait!" Akane shouted. Mia ran outside, and didn't see a small thin string that she broke. It caused some water on the roof to fall on to her. However, it was hot water.

"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" Mia screamed. But what shocked everyone was the fact that the scream started like a young woman screaming, but it changed near the end. Into a young man screaming, a familiar scream to everyone.

"Where did that water come from?!" shouted a familiar voice. Everyone gathered outside to find something they never thought that they would find. A young man with dark blue hair in the same clothes that Mia was wearing.

"It can't be," Ryoga said in shock.

"But there is no dought," Ukyo stated.

"We just witnessed it ourselves," Mousse added.

"Then maybe we wouldn't have believed it," Nabiki stated.

"Oh my," Kasumi said in shock.

"It him," Shampoo said in shock. Akane blankly stared at the young man that was missing for an entire year. The young man that she had waited for. The young man that could change into a young woman and back into a young man with different water temperature. It was none other than Ranma Saotome.

******

Goro was spying on the Tendo family when he saw Mia changed into a familiar young man. It was Ranma Saotome himself.

How did he do that? Goro thought, he might have fallen into a cursed spring. But now that I know he was that bitch, I can get even with him. With an evil smile, Goro simply watched what was going to happen next.

******

Everyone stared at him, sitting there in the snow in women's clothes, Ranma Saotome. Akane still had the blank stare at him. Ranma still had tears coming down in his face, but it was less.

"Ranma," Akane said in deep shock. Ranma looked ashamed. Genma approached Ranma and knelt down next to him.

"Oh my son," he said with tears in his eyes and hugged him, "I'm so glad you are safe." Soun approached them slowly.

"It's good to see you again," he said with happy tears flowing down his face. Mousse walked over to Ranma and stared at him. He then smiled.

"Now we can stop worrying about you," he stated.

"Yeah," Shampoo said as she walked over to see Ranma, "you had us worried." Ukyo and Ryoga walked up with smiles on their faces.

"We missed you," Ryoga said happily.

"You should have at least told us that you were alright," Ukyo said with tears in her eyes. Nabiki and Kasumi walked over to their sister.

"Go on," Kasumi encouraged Akane.

"Go to him," Nabiki joined in. Everyone that was near Ranma made a lot of space for Akane to get through. Ranma stared at her softly with tears still coming down his face. Akane slowly walked over to him and knelt in front of him. For what seemed like an eternity, they stared at each other. Akane took one of her hands and put it on his cheek.

"Ranma," she said in shock, "is it really you?" Ranma slowly nodded his head with the tears coming down his face. Akane then hugged him with great passion. Ranma was in shock.

"A-Akane?" he asked in shock.

"You jerk," she replied, "why did you do something so stupid?"

"Well," Ranma began.

"No," Akane interrupted him, "don't say anything." Tears started flowing down her face as well. "I don't want this moment to get ruined. Just silence is all I need." Ranma didn't know how to respond to that. However, he did what his heart told him to do. He hugged her back. No words were necessary for this moment. Everyone remained silent and stared at the two love birds finally reunited after a whole year of being apart. Finally, they broke the hug and stared at each other.

"Come on," Soun stated, "we'll catch a cold staying out here." Everyone nodded their heads and went inside. Ranma changed into some Chinese clothes and sat at the table with everyone else. Of course Akane was next to him.

"Ranma," Ryoga was the first one to speak, "I'm sure that everyone wants to know why you didn't come out and say who you were?" Everyone nodded their heads.

"I'm sorry," Ranma apologized, "I was afraid. Afraid that you all would reject me for running away like a coward."

"But you didn't," Genma stated, "at least, that's not the way I see it." Ranma looked at his father in disbelieve.

"Really?" he asked.

"I agree," Ukyo agreed, "what you wrote in your letter was true."

"Not once we ask for your honest opinion," Shampoo added.

"And we kept challenging you over and over again," Mousse stated, "we should have stopped after the first time."

"Indeed," Ryoga agreed, "after all, we did mess up your life." Ina and Sho were silent. Ranma stared at them silently and in disbelieve.

"You guys have changed," he stated.

"Yes we have," Ryoga replied, "while looking for you, Ukyo and I have gone steady."

"Really?" Ranma asked in shock. Ryoga put one arm around Ukyo's shoulder.

"Yes," Ukyo said happily.

"And a similar story happened to us," Mousse said as he put his arm around Shampoo's shoulders. Ranma stared at them in disbelieve as well.

"I can't believe it," he stated.

"Kuno and his sister," Nabiki added, "well, who knows where they are."

"But that doesn't matter," Soun stated, "Ranma, what matters is what you plan to do now?" Ranma looked around the room in silence and then stopped at Akane. He opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, smoke came into the room.

"What is this stuff?" Ina asked in shock. Shampoo looked shocked.

"Sleeping gas!" Shampoo shouted. However, she soon started sleeping.

"Don't breathe in!" Mousse shouted. However, it was too late. Everyone was sent off into slumber land, not knowing where the gas came from.

A happy reunion finally takes place.

However, that is soon replaced with a slumber party that wasn't planned.

Who is behind this deed?

Find out in the next chapter of. . . .

Ranma ½

Tragic Love

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