Rescue Ranma

Happosai was put in Ranma's room to rest after Genma found him unconscious last night. Akane, Genma, Ryoga, Soun, Kasumi, and Nabiki were in the living room remaining silent. After awhile, Cologne, Ukyo, Mousse, and Shampoo entered the dojo.

"We came as soon as we got the message," Cologne stated, "so Ranma's missing again."

"Yes," Genma stated, "however, I think this time he was forced to leave against his will."

"Or Happosai tried to stop him and made a mess," Nabiki suggested.

"No," Genma replied sharply, "Ranma would not go back on his word of not leaving."

"Yeah," Shampoo agreed, "Ranma not that kind of man."

"We won't know the full story until Happosai wakes up," Kasumi stated.

"Yeah," Ryoga agreed, "I just hope he wakes up soon." Akane was silent during the whole conversation. Everyone didn't try to cheer her up. Only Happosai's news could do that or drag her further into the abyss of despair.

******

The night had past, and he felt like shit. Restrained to the wall in the dark, Ranma was being treated by someone from the school under orders of Raj. He was standing behind the one who was treating him.

"As you can see," Raj said with a firm voice, "I don't plan to kill you. That's not vengeance in our school. All we do is make you experience pain over and over again until you go mad from being here for so long. This is payment for what you have done to us." Ranma smiled.

"What?" he said while getting treated, "you call defeating your best student in a fair fight something bad I've done to your school?"

"Yes," Raj replied, "for you are an outsider. Getting defeated by an outsider of our practice is unforgivable. And you will pay for what you have done." The person stopped treating Ranma and packed up the medical supplies. "I'll be back later to give you another dose of the suffering that you deserve." Raj and the other person left Ranma in the dark alone.

******

Goro was packing to go back to China to the main school of the Abyss Archery Martial arts.

I don't like it, he thought, how can this be revenge? Torturing him like that brutally and then treating him. Goro finished packing and headed for the exit. On the way, he was stopped by two other students. One was male and the other was a female.

"We hope that you redeem from your ways," the male student stated.

"I will," Goro said strongly, "count on it."

"Sorry to cut this short," the female student stated, "but we have to get back to a theft that happened earlier."

"Really?" Goro asked curiously.

"Yes," the male student continued, "two suits, along with equipment for them, gone. We can't find them anywhere."

"That is troubling news," Goro stated, "however, I won't be able to help you."

"Understandable," the male student stated, "continue on." The two students left and Goro grabbed his belongings and left the school grounds.

******

After a few hours, Happosai finally woke up.

"Master," Genma said happily, "thank goodness that you are alright."

"Of course I am," Happosai complained, "a little scrape like that won't keep me down."

"A scrape with Ranma?" Mousse asked curiously.

"No," Happosai replied, "it was a few other people." Everyone looked shocked.

"So," Akane said happily, "Ranma didn't leave us by his own will." She had a bright smile on her face.

"Exactly," Happosai replied, "however, I don't know who."

"Then we need to find them and teach them a lesson," Ukyo stated.

"I agree," Ryoga agreed, "we just got Ranma back. No way are we going to lose him now."

"But we don't have a single lead," Cologne stated, "how do you plan to find him?" They heard the front door open and close then foot steps followed.

"Some one is here," Soun said seriously.

"Maybe to make ransom for Ranma," Shampoo suggested.

"Hello?!" called a familiar voice.

"That voice," Akane said in shock, "it's Goro." Ryoga quickly stood up and rushed downstairs to find that it was true. Goro stood there with some bags on the floor at his feet. Everyone else rushed downstairs to see him.

"What are you doing here?!" Ryoga asked angrily. Everyone stared at Goro angrily.

"You all have a right to be angry at me," he said sadly, "but I had an empathy recently, and I realized that what I did was wrong. It's also wrong what Grandmaster is doing now too." Everyone seemed to calm down a bit.

"What do you mean?" Nabiki asked.

"He was the one who kidnapped Ranma," Goro said without hesitation. Everyone was shocked.

"You can't be serious," Mousse said angrily.

"I am," Goro replied, "and he is brutally beating him up and then treating him so that he won't die."

"We need to save him," Akane said quickly.

"We know," Genma stated, "but how?"

"That's why I'm here," Goro stated.

"Why should we trust you?" Ukyo said angrily.

"Because I'm the only one who can get you in," Goro explained, "I purposely left behind an important item to me. This way, two of you can disguise yourselves and gain access to the school. My room is near where Ranma is being held. It's perfect." Everyone remained silent.

"What if something goes wrong?" Cologne asked.

"I have a radio with me," Goro explained, "and another one. This way, if something goes wrong, we'll contact you and you can make a raid on the school." Everyone was silent.

"For an enemy," Cologne stated, "that sounds like a solid plan."

"Please," Goro pleaded, "I want to make up for what I've done." Everyone looked at each other and then Akane stepped forward.

"One chance is all that you'll get," she said firmly. Goro smiled and opened a bag to reveal two outfits.

"You'll need these," he stated, "I've taken some equipment from the school before I left."

"Smart move," Genma stated.

******

Ryoga and Akane were the ones in disguises. They were following Goro to the school where Ranma was being held. After a short while, they arrived at the front entrance.

"Alright," Goro stated, "here we go." They approached the front gates and opened them. Inside were students training intensely.

"Where now?" Ryoga whispered.

"Follow me and keep a firm look in your eyes no matter what," Goro explained while whispering. The three of them walked past the training grounds and ran into none other than Raj Kato.

"What are you doing back here?" Raj asked angrily.

"Sorry Grandmaster," Goro apologized, "I forgot something in my room. Something important." Raj stared at Goro.

"Well make it fast," he said firmly, "we don't have all day to catch that flight to China." Raj then left them and headed for the front gate. Goro, Ryoga, and Akane entered the building to find that it was dark inside.

"Don't you have any lights in this place?" Ryoga asked quietly.

"Not many," Goro replied whispering, "now follow me." Akane and Ryoga did what they were instructed to do. They followed Goro through hall after all, and descended further into darkness.

"It's getting harder to see," Akane complained.

"I know," Goro stated, "the better your rank in our school, the closer you are to true darkness."

"You mean so that we can't see our hands in front of our faces?" Ryoga asked.

"In a sense," Goro replied. He stopped and took out a flash light. "That's why I brought this along."

"Good call," Akane stated. They continued down into the darkness and came across a large door.

"Ranma is in this room," Goro stated. Akane ran up to the door and opened it. It revealed the darkest room yet. Only the flash light showed anything at all in the room. Then, they saw a bandaged up Ranma hanging from the wall. Akane rushed up to him.

"Ranma," she said in a panic, "are you okay?" There was no answer, but he was breathing.

"Not so loud Akane," Ryoga stated, "we still have to get out of here." Goro brought out the radio.

"We found Ranma and are getting ready to move out," he said.

"Okay," Genma's voice came from the radio, "we are ready when you are."

"Alright don't make any moves until we are outside," Goro stated. Suddenly, he dropped the radio like something hit it. He also dropped the flash light.

"What's wrong Goro?" Ryoga asked.

"What do you think," Raj's voice came from the darkness. All three of their eyes widened even though you couldn't see it.

"We've been found out," Goro stated.

"Of course you have," Raj said sinisterly, "did you really think I didn't see the light of hope in your eyes girl? The hope of rescuing the one that you love. HAHAHAHAHA! DID YOU REALLY THINK THAT I WOULD LET HIM OFF THE HOOK THAT EASILY?!" The voice seemed to be coming from every direction.

"I can't tell where he is," Ryoga complained.

"He is the Grandmaster of the Abyss School of Archery Martial Arts," Goro explained, "he can blend in perfectly with the darkness around him."

"That's right," Raj said sinisterly, "now then, I think I will have to punish all of you as well." Goro, Ryoga, and Akane took a battle stance ready to fight the darkness in front of them.

******

Genma pulled the radio back fast to avoid hearing the static sound. Mousse, Shampoo, Ukyo, Happosai, Soun, and Cologne all looked at him.

"What happened?" Soun asked in a worried tone.

"The transmission was cut off," Genma explained, "I think they have been found out."

"Then we need to move now," Ukyo stated. Everyone nodded in agreement and rushed at the school without a moments hesitation.

They find where Ranma is only to be stopped by the Grandmaster Raj.

How will they fair?

Find out in the final chapter of. . . .

Ranma ½

Tragic Love

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