I do not own Ranma 1/2

Chapter 5

Akane sighed as she rubbed her ankle. "We have to find a way out of here."

Ukyo nodded with a grunt, standing slowly and stretching akwardly. " This is getting ridiculous." Her stomach was becoming extremely large. The red flowery shirt she had been forced to wear now barely covered it.

Shampoo laughed mirthlessly as she flexed her bruised fingers. "We need plan."

They both looked at Ukyo.

"What? I've got nothing left. Anyway, I can't afford to risk the punishment anymore." She said looking away shamefully.

"You look bad." Shampoo stated plainly.

"Thanks." Ukyo gritted out. She had two black eyes, and her cheeks were bruised. Her arms were covered in angry welts as well. They had all made a pact to spare her belly in battle, but they were still required to put on a good show, and Ukyo was no exception.

Akane picked at the huge tattered bow on her shoulder. "And why do we have to wear this garbage!"

"You no complain, look at Shampoo!" The amazon yelled pointing at the striped leotard with lacy skirt that she was clothed in.

The blonde woman, Chieko, walked over plopping down beside them. "I could care less about the stupid clothes, I just want to see my kids."

Akane put an arm out to pat their new friend on the back.

"So what we do?" Shampoo blurted out.

"I...I don't know." Ukyo admitted.

Akane and Chieko shook their heads sadly.

"If only had great grandmother collection now." The purple haired woman mused.

The sound of metal against stone echoed down the hall. The self titled philanthropist looked around the room.

"You are all starting to look pathetic." He mentioned, eyes stopping on Ukyo in particular.

"Whose fault is that you jerk!" Akane yelled, standing up.

"Hmm..I believe you just volunteered Akane Tendo."

She blanched then stepped forward, "me and my big mouth..."

"And, you." He pointed to a pretty red haired girl with less bruises then the rest, "but all of you are going to be visiting my beautician tonight."

There was an audible groan from all present. The so called beautician, was a nasty woman with horrendous taste and worse manners, but for some reason the patrons seemed to like her work.

Akane came back after a long time limping, and dressed in a short yellow polka dotted jumper. There was a huge pink bow in her hair, and the remains of way too much makeup.

"Not a word Shampoo." She warned as she sat down.

The amazon barely had a chance to laugh before she was dragged away.

Ranma walked down the lonely path searching for some sign. It had been a full three days since he had lost the trail, it started to rain.

"Just my luck." He muttered, standing up to walk once more. "Glad I brought a kettle."

The red haired girl shouldered the pack and trudged on watching the ground.

No wonder it was so hard to follow them, it was remote. It had been three days since Ranma had left the last village, the road was little more then a trail. A duck flew over head and landed on the ground by Ranma chans feet.

"Ha! You out looking too Mousse? Any luck?"

The duck quacked once shaking its head.

"Me either, but you're here too, so I guess we might be on the right track."

The bespectacled duck quacked again nodding in the affirmative.

"You should fly, look for anything unusual on the ground. I'll look down here, meet up in a few hours and we can warm some water."

The duck took off.

After another hour searching in the incessant drizzling rain, Mousse came back squawking loudly.

"What you found something?!"

"Quack, quack quack!"

"Alright! Show me!"

Ranma followed the duck about half a mile off the trail, there was a muddy patch with signs of a struggle. Ranma chan knelt down to look closely, duck alighting beside her. The patch was slightly overgrown, it had happened weeks ago.

"This is good! Lets go with it."

The duck quacked once more.

They found a few more torn up patches and then some ruts as though something had been dragged for a few miles.

They stopped under an overhanging rock finally to rest, and boiled a kettle of water.

"Thankyou." Mousse nodded to the pigtailed boy as they sat beside the fire warming themselves.

"I can't believe I haven't found them yet." Ranma spat angrily.

Mousse nodded reflectively. "Whoever has done this will pay dearly."

"Yes they will!" Ranma agreed as his blue eyes blazed in the firelight.