CH 4 What's Happening
DIS: I don't own anything but the idea.
2 weeks ago after Ranma's departure:
Nodoka looked like hell after she had stopped crying earlier last night. Though she was upset at how Ranma acted which she thought was unmanly of him. She was more upset with herself at what she had said in the heat of confusion. How could she have said those things to him when he needed her help like that? But what he said to her made her want to cry again; but she ran out of tears earlier that morning.
"Oh son, why did this have to happen? Why couldn't you have at least listened to me?"
It was then the memory of what he said came back to her. 'Why should I listen to a mother who was never there?' He had a point there; she admitted. She didn't know anything about what his life had been like. The only thing she knew was what she found out the month she had come back to him. 'Funny how when you never know what you had until it's gone.' She sighed at the thought. He was right about everything he said last night. She had no right judge him by her standards.
After he and Genma left, the only thing that gave her comfort was her dream of seeing her son become a man that would make any person near him show respect to. True she had some skewed ideals about what a man should be; but mostly it was a good man. From what she had seen during her time with him; he was a good man though rough around the edges. The problem was that when she got back into his life she used the contract to make him behave; which she now realizes was a mistake. But that contract and her dream was the only reason she stayed alive through the loneliness she had during those 10 years. It was very hard to let it go even when she deemed him manly, she acted like he still wasn't manly enough. She didn't even destroy the contract when she said he was manly enough.
She took out the contract from her kimono and frowned when she did. Now; she couldn't believe she still carried this. That was a mistake on her part; another was trusting Genma in taking care of Ranma. Now Ranma hates him. Looking at this paper she couldn't believe she went through with this in the first place. Believing now was as good as time as any; Nodoka took a match and light the contract on fire. As it burned she gained a bittersweet smile.
"Brave, strong, noble and standing up for what he believes in; that is what I call a real man, Ranma you are indeed a real man." Nodoka whispered. "Pity I was too stupid to see that before I made you leave me forever." Nodoka cried as the tears fell on the ashes.
"Aunty?" Kasumi said as she walked in.
Wiping away the tears Nodoka tried to put on a smile. "Oh hello dear how has everyone taken the absence of my son?"
Kasumi looked questionly at the Soatome matriarch. "You mean you still call him that? I thought you would have taken him off the Soatome registrant by now because you thought it wasn't manly what he did."
Nodoka's tears fell again as she wepted. "Do you really see me as a person like that?" She asked as Kasumi tried to comfort her.
"I'm sorry aunty, I didn't mean…"
"It's alright dear I guess I seemed to have given that impression. What of my husband and your father? Have they decided on what to do now?"
Kasumi shook her head. The two idiots were too lazy and single minded to do anything right now. All they did was play shogi and whine about how the schools would never be joined and how Ranma was a disgrace; of course Genma couldn't say this as he was a panda and that his jaw was broken in 7 places. Dr. Tofu said that if he changed back he could damage himself further.
'More like they are the disgraces to the art.' Kasumi thought as she shook her head. Usually she wouldn't get involved; but after Ranma told her she was his only friend. She started thinking over what has really happened over the time she been with Ranma. She started to see what she had missed at all his fights, as well as all his pain he had to endure being here and having no one to back him up. 'It's a wonder that he kept himself from killing everyone in Nerima.' Kasumi sighed. She had to admit that even she would have lost her mind being in Ranma's shoes through his life. She was interrupted from her thoughts by Nodoka.
"Kasumi, do you think there is any way for me to get back with my son?" Nodoka asked dishearten knowing almost fully that there was no hope.
Normally Kasumi would have tried to comfort her, but after her revelation, she decided to tell the truth. "Aunty…Mrs. Soatome to tell the truth I don't know. Ranma has been through so much pain over the years; and when he hoped you would be the one to understand him, you hurt him more when you pushed all your ideals of manliness on him. You made it look like you didn't consider him your son, but a failure. So truthfully I really doubt he cares about you or what his father has to say."
Nodoka's head lowered to almost the ground at what Kasumi had said about what her son would probably do. After a minute a new voice came from behind the doorframe.
"Wow Kasumi, I never thought you would have it in you to tell the cold truth to someone without sugar coating it." Nabiki said as she walked into the kitchen. Unlike the rest of the people she was more of the reality thinker and knew what Ranma did was inevitable.
Kasumi looked up, from patting the very depressed Nodoka on the shoulder, to her sister. "Who says I wasn't sugar coating it?" This wasn't what Nodoka wanted to hear as her head sunk more to the ground. "Oh! Sorry aunty."
"It's alright dear. I had a feeling that was the case. To tell you the truth my son had me pegged. I did assume he would just be a good son and follow my orders to the letter. I was hoping I could come back into his life and be a mother to him. Now I realize that that was my problem. I treated him as a boy and not as the man he is. I always looked for things that he did that were unmanly, causing him to have more pressure on himself. Hell up until a few minutes ago; I still had the contract he signed in my kimono. Now I feel so ashamed about that, I don't even know anything about him. I never asked what he wanted and just made choices for him." As Nodoka spoke Kasumi and Nabiki did their best to comfort the woman as she was their only mother figure they had.
Looking up at the girls with tears in her eyes, mainly Kasumi, she asked a question. "Kasumi some time today could you tell me about my son? Not right now because I know enough that as soon as word gets out the entire neighborhood will be trying to barge in for answers."
"I would love to aunty."
"I'd like to help, too. I mean he was the Soatome here that actually helped with the bills and before you say anything, I'll explain tonight."
"Okay, also Kasumi could you please show me this friend Ranma left to go see in America?"
Nodding the girls went up to Kasumi's room; she got the clips, and put it into the VCR. As all the women sat down; strangely Kasumi somehow had a bowl of popcorn like they were actually watching a movie. As she munched the girls started watching the clips.
"Oh is that the girl Ranma said was a friend? I do have to admit she is beautiful in a strange orange exotic way." Nodoka pointing to Starfire.
Kasumi shook her head while finishing some popcorn. "No that's Starfire. She's an alien, but she's a friend of Ranma's friend. I think she likes Robin here." Kasumi pointed to the masked boy in green and red with steel shoes. "Oh her she is!"
Nodoka gasped as she saw Raven in her black leotard and blue hooded cape lifting a car with her powers. She started to smile as saw glimpses of what she looked like underneath her hood. "Ah so this is the one eh? I do admit she is lovely as well. She's also quiet powerful if what I'm seeing is true. Also she has great fashion sense. I can see why he went halfway around the world to see her." Nodoka started getting sad again as she remembered that she was part of the cause he was gone.
"It's not like that aunty. He said that she was in trouble and he had to help her, because she was the only friend he had left thanks to your husband."
"You mean he had no friends through his training trip?" As both sisters nodded, Nodoka was starting to dread tonight when they told her what her son was really about. "I see, well I better get things ready for when the people my son associates with come to demand where he is." When Nodoka left Nabiki clicked her tongue.
"Tsk…tsk…tsk, only Ranma could have a beautiful, super powered girl as a friend and only he could have one who has a better body than most of the girls here; especially Akane." Nabiki mused. Kasumi giggled.
"Sister you and I both know a stick has a better figure than Akane." Both laughed at that. Nabiki was happy Kasumi had come out of her shell when Ranma left. "By the way Nabiki, why are you being so helpful now? From what I remember you used to scheme against Ranma all the time; why the change all of a sudden?"
As Nabiki looked at Kasumi, she knew she couldn't lie. Though she had done dozens of times or rather stretched the truth thin, no one could lie or bamboozle Kasumi. That would just be wrong, so she sighed as she answered truthfully.
"To tell you the truth, yes I have done a lot to Ranma that was bad. At first I thought he wasn't good enough for Akane; and I'll admit; I was nervous and angry that he turned into girl when I wanted to actually meet a potential fiancé and get to know him and I took it out on him. But it wasn't until after that whole switching fiancé scheme I did, that made me see what he went through on a daily basis. I could have barely survive a day as his fiancé from what I saw and I started realizing that he would crack one day from all this pressure he had.
It wasn't the nicest plan or the smartest I'll admit; I decided to help him break. In order to get him to finally stand up for himself or make him have a totally breakdown and try to commit suicide. But I knew better because from what I saw; he wouldn't just die like that. So I kept up the schemes. As time went on I also realized how horrible Akane was to Ranma on a daily basis.
She'd hit him whenever she had the chance and always accused him of being a pervert. It was frustrating to me how she'd accuse him of stuff. Then she'd take the advice from her other rivals rather than trusting Ranma. It wasn't fair for the guy. When last night happened I couldn't be happier for him, though he doesn't know it, I like him as a friend and I always take care of the people close to me. Akane got what she deserved, though she should have gotten more I think. That's why now I'm helpful. He's learned to standup for himself and he is my friend." As Nabiki walked out of Kasumi's room Kasumi smiled at her, happy Ranma wasn't as alone as he first thought.
Late Afternoon:
"Aiyah! What you mean Ranma gone?" Shampoo yelled as she held her weapons for attack with the other people.
As first thought; when the news got out about Ranma's disappearance everyone went to the Tendo Dojo for answers even Ryoga was able to make it. It started earlier when Akane kept yelling about how Ranma was a pervert and how he left and how he hit her who got everyone in school listening. Mainly Kuno and Ukyo over heard. Though Nabiki wasn't involved this time, Kuno was even better at spreading news because of his big mouth.
Ukyo just went back to her restaurant to get some extra weapons for when she would ask 'nicely' for what happened to her Ranchan when she went to the Tendo's. When she got there, she found that everyone was there; yelling at each other as usual. Only Cologne, and a little mummy that she barely recognized as Happosai; stood near the doorframe calm.
"Okay people where is my Ranchan?"
"That's what we want to know!" All present answered.
Before Kasumi could answer them, beaten Genma-panda did with signs. Oh it's such a tragedy! Flip My honorless son left to go see a whore he knew in America. Flip How could he be so honorless? Flip What have I done to deserve such a son? This sign was followed with the panda crying crocodile tears. As usual the idiots in Nerima took the word of an idiot and thief over a word from a smart person.
"Why that honorless bastard how could he do that to Akane! I'll pound him into the ground!" Pig-boy.
"Thou cowardly demon Soatome has doth left thy noble place due to thy cowardess! I shall smite thee for he is weak!" Kuno.
"Finally I am free of that worthless weakling Soatome! Now Shampoo will be all mine!" Mousse
"What? How could my love be tainted by such a gaijin hussy! She must have him under a spell for not coming to me, the black rose."
"That stupid pervert is going to regret doing this to me!" Akane said.
"Aiyah! This mean Ranma all Shampoo's now must prepare for trip." With this, Shampoo left without Cologne
"Everyone that is not it." Kasumi valiantly tried to say, but no one listened as they all were set in their own ideas. Kasumi did her best glare at Genma as all of them went out of the house to do what they called 'justice'.
"So what really happened?" Ukyo asked as she smashes Genma into the outside wall to get him out of her way. Soun only cried more for his friend.
"Didn't you read? Ranma left out of cowardess. He couldn't handle it anymore so he left. I'm glad he's gone! He was a disgrace to martial ar…" (WHAM!) Akane couldn't finish as she was hit by Ukyo's battle spatula knocking her out.
"Listen honey! I've never laid a hand on you because Ranchan would always defend your sorry ass. Even after all you do to him he still protected you and if I did hit you, I would have made him mad at me. But he's not protecting you anymore now; so the gloves are off." Ukyo looked at Kasumi. "Sorry about that so what really happened here. I'm smart enough not to trust Genma and I know Shampoo is too, but she just wants him as a prize and doesn't care about the truth." 'Good job Ukyo; be the supporting one and Ranma will be yours.' She thought as Kasumi was about to tell the story.
"Wow so he was the one who hurt Genma." Ukyo grinned as she like that part of the story the most. "I wish I could've seen that. So he's in America now with this…Raven person?" Ukyo could barely hold back the jealousy she had for the girl that Kasumi said was Ranma's friend. 'Dammit! Ranma's mine! I can't let some other girl get their hands on him! He's mine! Genma took my droury and spent it. He has no choice but to be my fiancé.'
"So son in law left from here? I'm not very surprised; he has been through hell here. I guess this would have happened sooner or later. I liked how it's sooner because he probably would have gone berserk and killed everyone." Cologne said calmly
All younger people present looked at her questionably. "You seem awfully calm to have heard the news about Ranma. We would've have thought you would be gung-ho about bringing him back just as Shampoo is." Nabiki spoke up.
Cologne nodded. "True that would be the case; however something happened this morning during my meditation session that has made me decide not to go after Ranma. Before any of you ask, I will not tell you what happened because this concerns only amazons. But I will tell you that it makes sure Ranma is free from the Amazon laws of marriage. Now I must go find Shampoo before she does something foolish." Cologne then jumped on the wall and disappeared.
"Well that boy has gotten quite strong over time. I myself will not pursue him any more." A bandaged Happosai said as he smoked.
"Why would you not pursue him grandpa?" Nabiki asked.
Happosai puffed out. "He has done what I wanted since I got here. He has released the restraints he put on himself and has bested me in a challenge for my Grandmaster Title and won."
"WHAT!" Everyone in the house said.
"Master how could that be? Ranma is strong, but he's not that strong." Soun said with tears coming out of his eyes.
"Fool! After what you have seen him do, do you really doubt his strength?" Soun nodded. "Idiot, he is far stronger than anyone here. The constant confrontation in Nerima has strengthened him to my level of strength it may be even more now that he is away and free to fully heal without having to fight all the time. Yes that boy has made me glad I was alive for the past 300 years. Thanks to him I can do what ever I want now, because I am no longer the master of the school, I can just kick back and not worry about the schools future. It is in good hands now." Happosai smiled as he day dreamed while many just shook their heads at the old man. "Anyway, see ya later girlys it's been fun; but I've got an island paradise to get to." As usual before he left, Happy glomped all the girls while they tried to hit him with objects as he ran.
"Oooh! That little…" Ukyo growled as she calmed down from being glomped.
"Relax Ukyo at least he's gone." Nabiki stated.
Ukyo relaxed after that and decided to drag Akane back in from where she hit her.
"Is everything done here?" Nodoka asked as she came from the kitchen she was in.
"Yes aunty they are gone in order to 'find' Ranma for themselves. Now I think it's time for us to explain how Ranma has lived during these 10 years. Ukyo I think you should hear this as well. Please follow me so that daddy can't hear us." Kasumi stated as Soun dragged Genma in crying over his down friend. She soon led the women into her room where they could get some privacy. "Nabiki please start because I haven't found out much about his first years as you have."
Nodding Nabiki took out files from subspace and started reading.
Cologne went back to the Neko Haten and found Shampoo getting ready for a trip to the U.S. She steeled herself as she had to give Shampoo bad news. As she walked in, she saw Moose still celebrating Ranma's departure; and how Shampoo would be all his. She sighed in disgust at him as she went to Shampoo's room. When she opened the door Shampoo already had a suitcase and was counting money for the trip.
"Child."
"Ayah great grandmother, I ready for trip to America. If stupid panda-man story somewhat right, Ranma be all Shampoo's. Then he go back to village and…"
"No Shampoo you will not go to America to get Ranma."
"Why?" Shampoo asked scared as Cologne never said Ranma's name before.
"Because I have decided not to get him into the tribe and will be going back within a week."
"NOOOO! Why great-grandmother, why no go after Ranma? Is it about stupid girl in America? Shampoo will kill!" She growled as she got out her weapons.
"No Shampoo it is about something far more important than mere laws, it is about the safety of the world."
"What you mean?"
"This morning when I went to meditate on new ways to get Ranma I had a vision."
Flashback this morning:
Cologne was in a spar room lighted with candles and smelled of incense. This was the meditation room of Colognes where she came up with ideas on how to get the toughest man into her village, Ranma. It was then something started going wrong with her meditating.
There was darkness where she was and no light at all. A flash came that made her spirit self block her eyes. As it finished she saw a place that was completely destroyed. The area had people of ash and ruined towns. Soon she saw her own village in ruin and even in Nerima it was completely destroyed. Her blood went cold as she saw Shampoo turned into one of the many ash statues around the place above this; she saw a giant shadow with four glowing eyes. After this was seen the area went black again then Cologne heard a voice.
"This is only one outcome for the future of this world."
Cologne gasped as she saw coming from the shadows a woman in a white hooded cape come near her. She became cautious as she sensed this woman to have mystic energy beyond hers. With this caution she went into a fighting stance, but eased up at her lifting up a hand of peace.
"Relax elder Cologne of Joketsu. I mean you no harm; I am only her to tell you message of the future." She then took off her hood for Cologne to see she was a beautiful woman with purple hair and purple eyes.
"Who are you and what business do you have with me?"
The woman bowed. "I am the head priestess of Aserath, Arilith."
At this Cologne got down on one knee and bowed respectfully to the woman. Through time Joketsu have met with the people of Aserath through mystic channeling the other world and vise versa. They had respected the people for their power and their abilities which the amazons admitted were far greater then there's. Though the amazons had millenniums of history, the Aserans had eons of knowledge that, unlike the amazons, have not been forgotten in there world. The Joketsu considered the Aserans as superiors from a different dimension due to their great knowledge. So meeting one was a great honor.
"It is a great honor to meet you priestess. What would you be here for?"
"I am here to tell you that you must stop your desire to have Ranma in your tribe."
"Umm please forgive me, but why must I? He would be a great asset to our tribe."
"I am not telling you, merely asking for you to think about this. That vision you saw was the future as it stands now. That boy has a part to play in this future that could decide who lives and who dies. Observe."
With this she waved her hand across the blackness and a new scenario came up. Cologne gasped as she heard a roar and looked up to find a giant black shadow with four eyes fighting 2 human shaped shadows. One was fighting hand to hand the other was fighting from a distance. The two soon prevailed over the giant. And both blasted him and eradicated him. The scenery ended and blackness came back again.
"This is only another outcome of the future. That boy has a very wide range of outcomes for his future. He could be the world's greatest savior… or the world's greatest destroyer."
What came next was that in between the human shadow and the giant. The one shadow looked like it was convulsing and then it looked like it had sprouted demon wings from his back and four glowing eyes were present on his face. The mouth opened into an evil grin and it joined the side of the giant and killed the other human shadow. The giant and human shadow both lifted their hands and blasted upward, destroying the rest of the ruins.
As darkness again surrounds the area; Cologne was shaken by what she saw. Looking at the priestess, she had to ask. "Is that really a possible future, could that boy really cause the end of the world."
"He can and he will if events do not change for him. You are the only person that knows him that will listen. If you continue to pursue him, you will cause him to go to the dark side and destroy all humanity. Though it may not happen; because the others will not listen and they 'will' pursue him do you really want to be part of the reason?" Cologne shook her head. The priestess smiled. "You have lived for 300 years Cologne I hope you use that wisdom for the greater good." With this Cologne woke up.
END FLASH BACK
Shampoo was shocked what Cologne had said but she wouldn't give up that easy. Ranma was hers she won him fare and square. "Great Grandmother I still no see why I must give up Ranma. He mine, it is Amazon law."
"Child you must stop being so stubborn. I have decided that it is not worth risking."
"But…"
"No more discussing child! We have lost! Now we must get ready to leave."
"That not fair!"
"Life is not fair child! Now get your things we will leave within a week." With this being final, Cologne left a seething Shampoo.
As Shampoo raged with anger, at the worst moment, Moose came in happy as ever. "Oh Shampoo now that Ranma is gone we can finally be together!"
This rant was ended as Shampoo slapped him hard to the ground. Since Shampoo never actually slapped him before, he was in silent shock. Looking up he could barely see that Shampoo was madder than he had ever saw her be before. As he felt the hand imprint on his cheek he still couldn't believe she did it.
"Shampoo?"
Not caring about Mousse at all, Shampoo spoke in Chinese so that he would get the point. "Listen Mousse, I don't like you, in fact I hate you! I never thought I'd see a worse man in my life than you. You are pathetic, stupid, and weak! You are blind as a bat and have no sense when you are beaten without question! You have no honor and you always turned people away from me because of your stupid jealousy! You made me alone in Joketsu because you wanted no one to touch me! You are not my guard and you are not my friend! You are not even human to me! You are just a pathetic worm that won't squish! Now for the last time, LEAVE ME ALONE! If I find you near me when in the village I will kill you on sight!" With this said Shampoo left a broken Mousse to his thoughts.
It was about an hour later that the shock Mousse was in finally subsided and thought started. He couldn't take it and jumped out of the window in her room and started running across the rooftops. As he ran he kept hearing the angry words of Shampoo in his head. The depression he had, soon turned to anger and that anger turned to hatred for the one responsible for all this; at least in Mousse's tiny mind.
"Ranma! I will find and kill you for what you did to me! You made Shampoo hate me and now I will destroy everything you ever held dear just like you did to me!" With this Mousse left the Nerima district to the airport or would have if he could see it.
In a Forest:
Ryoga stomps forward as usual he is lost in the place he was in. All the time he is thinking about how to make Ranma pay for all his past and present woes. When he had heard that Akane had finally had proof on Ranma that he was actually being unfaithful and that she was hit by him; he was ready to find him and make him pay. As he found out that he was walking in circles he growled and started going in a circle again.
'Damn you Ranma! This curse of mine is all your fault! If I hadn't met you then I'd be with Akane now! This direction curse has to be your fault too even if I don't know why! Now you are being unfaithful to Akane by leaving her and you hit her! There will be hell to pay for you hurting such a perfect angel like her!' This and many other thoughts ran through Ryoga's head as he let his anger fuel him.
Ryoga, after living almost an entire year in Nerima and the constant blaming he'd done to Ranma; had started affecting his brain more and more. The blaming all his problems on Ranma was warping his mind into that of psychotic. Ryoga had started to truly believe the lies he had said. He had lost all sight of reality and even went to the point of not caring about Akari; one girl who truly liked him as a person. He got it into his mind that Akane was his alone, and now as he traveled he would punish Ranma for all he had done to her and him. Even though he had left he wouldn't escape his wrath. With Ryoga he would pay whether the problem was real or not.
Kuno Mansion:
"I shall smite thee foul sorcerer Soatome for taking my beloved pigtailed girl. The foul demon dares to hind from me in an uncouth place such as America. He doth think me fool that I shall not follow. I shall give him divine justice for what he has done to my pigtailed girl." With this Kuno made preparations to go to America.
"Oh HOHOHOHOHO! My dearest Ranma, I shall have you soon."
Tendo Dojo, Kasumi's room:
"…and that is all we have about Ranma."
"How could I have been so foolish" Ukyo cried rivers.
"Oh my god." Was all Nodoka could say.
For the last 3 hours Kasumi and Nabiki had told both Ukyo and Nodoka about what had happened to Ranma from what they had found out during the 10 year training trip. They told her everything they knew, from the Nekoken, how Genma sold him off, and how he never let him have friends or cared for him at all. Many times the girls had to stop so that the others could calm down enough to listen further. Now that the story was done, the Tendo sisters waited for what the 2 would do next.
'How could I have let this happen for so long? What kind of person is my husband to do such things to a little boy? How could a man trade away his son for food and put him through that Nekoken? Why did I let this happen to him? No wonder Ranma wants nothing to do with me. I never thought his life could be so bad. I just had to make it worse with my stupid ideals.' At these thoughts Nodoka started crying again.
'I thought my life was bad. At least when my father trained me, he was some what soft. Ranma was lucky to have survived under Genma's training. I just had to make it harder for him by saying I was his fiancé and I never gave him what he really wanted, needed all this time was a friend and I wasn't a friend.'
After a minute of contemplation, Nodoka looked at the 2 girls and made a decision. "I see now what I have missed about Ranma. I should have tried to understand what his life was like, but I only put pressure on him. He has every right not to listen to me and I won't try to do anything to stop this. He is more of man than I could have ever thought he would be. For that I am at least happy of how he turned out. I will be leaving now to my home. I will be divorcing Genma tomorrow; if that fat idiot even cares, tell him that. Now good bye." Nodoka cried as she started out.
"Are you sure you want to do this aunty? If you don't do anything, you might never see Ranma again." Kasumi asked.
Nodoka smiled. "My boy is strong and manly now. He made it clear that he doesn't need me to meddle with his affairs anymore. Where was I when he was in trouble? When he was sick, hurt, crying; I'll tell you, I wasn't with him. I have long since stopped being Ranma's mother when I gave him to Genma. He has no mother, because I am just a stranger to him." With this Nodoka walked down stairs and left the Tendo's probably forever.
"Wow she really put it on thick huh?" Ukyo stated. "I don't think I could ever follow that speech. But here is what I have. I will also stop pursing Ranma. After what you 2 have found I realized he could never be my fiancé. Now I see that the race for Ranma's heart is over and I lost. I'm happy that at least Shampoo and Akane have also lost. They may not see it, but I see it now. Thanks you guys for telling me about this. I find it funny that I was supposedly his best friend; but I never new a third of the stuff you guys knew about him. But I will change; if you two ever hear from Ranma again, tell him our engagement is off and, if he's willing, I would like him to be my friend again. I must go now and start defending his title as the best martial artist when Akane tries to take it." The two Tendo's smiled at that and nodded happy that someone stopped pursuing Ranma.
Aserath Temple:
Arilith, looked through the scry pool that was showing what was happening in Nerima. She smiled somewhat as she saw people give up on the boy. This left him with fewer pressures for him. She was glad that the people who would listen were listening to reason. But she knew this was not over.
"Those people even drive me crazy just for watching them. That boy must have more patience than our entire priest community. Though some pressure is off, there are still many who wish to bother him. As I said to Cologne, that boy could be a hero or a destroyer. I just hope that I have done enough to make sure he at least has the chance of choosing to be a hero. I knew those girls could talk to the chef and mother, but if I hadn't stopped the Amazons all hope could have been lost.
It is up to him to decide what road he will take. His roads though are as thin as a piece of hair. If he falls off one just a little, then he will fall to the other. It maybe unfair for him to deal with; but quite literally all existence in this world may rest on which side consumes his mind."
She then thought of a lighter note. "Also I hope he does choose the path of light. My poor daughter has been so lonely; she needs a good man and she needs to give me some grandchildren for me to spoil." She laughed at that as she went to her room.
To be continued:
AN( This one took awhile because I had a hard time figuring out how to do this chapter. Also for people wondering about certain things let me tell you. The reason I had Cologne forced Shampoo and herself to leave Ranma alone is that they are not needed for the rest of the story. This is the same reason for Happy. Ranma will have more problems without his two strongest pests to bother him; both emotionally and physically. Already the three idiots haven't deterred from their quest to get Ranma, and I'm thinking of having at least Genma cause problems for him too. Also if any of you flame me for mistaking Raven's mothers name or her title, than I'm sorry but I don't know much about her mother. If anyone does, could you tell me at least her name because I might put her in more chapters. Next time, Ranma will help Robin train and he will finally meet up with Slade.)