AUTHOR NOTES
Hi there! Back with a new chapter that I hope you enjoy.
One thing I wanted to let you know, is that thanks to a detailed review of the story left by a reader in AO3, he/she pointed out several problems the story had. This made me want to fix as much as I could said problems, so I did, and updated chapter 3-6, rewriting some parts, especially dialog. The main thing corrected is some sappiness between Ranma and Ryoga, with them saying to how much they loved each other, which is reiterative because you can see that from other dialogs and interactions between them. This sappiness is also present in the conversation between Nodoka and Ranma when she visits them in Ryoga's home. This specific dialog was rewriten heavily because Nodoka says too explicitly that she accepts the new sitiations, not showing enough struggle within her. The core is unchanged. Nodoka knows she screwed up with Ranma, and wants to make amends, but in the new dialog, she is more hesitant and have more trouble to admit her mistakes. The final change is similar to Nodoka's case. When Ryoga defeats Shampoo in chapter 5, she immediately realizes her mistake trying to kill Ryoga and repents instantly. This is changed. She admits her defeat, but keeps having trouble to accept the new /
Well, if you reread the story sometime, you'll see better these rewrites and how they change a bit the feel of the story. Rest assured that none of the changes will affect future chapters, so you can keep reading this new chapter and future chapters with your mind at ease, because it's not necessary to reread the story again from the beginning.
I want to thank this reader for his/her kind coments and advice. It has helped me a lot to realize those mistakes I made in those chapters, mistakes I'll be careful to not made again in future chapters. I hope this changes I made improved the /
And thanks too to all the readers that keep following the story and the few that left reviews and favourited the story. Thank you! I hope you like this new chapter 7.
Kind regards.
Ranma repeatedly tapped the pencil on the desk with little patience. He didn't know how to approach the math problem he was trying to solve, and 15 minutes had already passed not been able to write a single operation. He looked through the window in Ryoga's room. Since he moved to his new home, he used this room to study and do school homework because the desk was quite big and it had great illumination, due to being right by the window. The Sun shinned brightly in the sky with very little presence of clouds. A perfect day to be outside taking a walk or doing something funny, he thought, but he needed to finish his homework. Those math problems were going to be reviewed tomorrow by professor Iwamoto. Ranma returned his eyes to the problem statement, and sighed. He sucked at integrals.
"Goddamn it, shit! I hate integrals!" the pigtailed boy shouted in frustration.
A moment later, Ryoga appeared at the door startled by the screaming.
"What's wrong Ranma?! I heard you screaming." he asked concerned.
"I'm sorry I startled you. I'm ok. It's just that I can't solve this problem, and tomorrow they're going to review our homework." Replied the young martial artist.
"Ranma, you need to relax. Getting frustrated won't take you anywhere. You defeated people like Herb or Saffron." Ryoga chuckled. "How many times did you beat me? Are you going to let a stupid math problem to best you?" he said, trying to lighten the pigtailed boy's mood.
"Yeah, you're right, but this is different from when we fought. There I had advantages sometimes." Ranma said smiling.
"What advantages?"
"Well, a few times I changed to my girl form and disguised myself, seducing you to get information, or fooling you making you believe I was a poor girl in need."
"Oh yeah, I remember those. I fell every time like an idiot." The Lost Boy recalled those times with a smile.
Ranma looked to the glass of water on the desk, and thought for a second. "Of course. How could you resist this face?" he replied, then poured the glass of water over his head, changing from a handsome black haired boy to a beautiful redheaded girl in an instant. Then she moved out of the way some damped bangs that were covering her eyes. Now she was showing a mischievous smile to Ryoga, who was gulping at the sudden transformation.
"Tou… touché." Said Ryoga with a timid smirk.
"I love how you always fall for this. You look so cute." Said Ranma giggling, while getting up and jumping over her astonished boyfriend. Both fell on Ryoga's bed, with him face up and her straddling his belly. Then she closed the distance between their faces, with drops of water falling on Ryoga's face.
"Ranma! My curse!" warned her Ryoga.
"Don't worry handsome. A few drops won't trigger your curse."
"I'll take your word on that." he said smiling, making Ranma smirk as well. Then she felt the need to confess something she realized not long ago.
"You know? I think all those times I tricked you with my disguises, I did it in part to see how cute you looked when you were blushing so hard. Maybe deep down, really deep down, I already felt something for you back then." She explained, her face a few centimetres from his.
"It's funny, the other day I was thinking if that day that you tried to ruin so vehemently my attempt to hit on Akane here at home, when you disguised yourself as my lost sister, you were jealous of me for hitting on Akane, or in fact you were jealous of Akane because my attempt might have worked." He told her. She didn't answer, and her cheeks went pink. This caught Ryoga by surprise.
"Oh, really? You were jealous of Akane!" he exclaimed with a big smirk on his face.
"Yeah, I was… a bit. I realized when I got back home, that I was jealous of her. This really fucked up my head for a week, I tell you." She admitted.
"Damn Ranma…" he said, still astonished by the revelation. "And I acted like a total lunatic that day…" reckoned Ryoga.
"Yeah, you did, sir. You even kicked my ass when I showed you who I really was." She said while resting her index finger on his chin.
"You gave me so much trouble, that when I saw it was really you… man I got so mad. I'm so sorry for all the times I've been violent with you." He said, regret in his eyes.
"Oh c'mon, I didn't mean it as a reproach. I know I've been a pain in the ass many times. Kami, how many times I boycotted your attempts on hitting on Akane? How many times I teased you with revealing to Akane that you were P-Chan?"
"Yeah, many, but you never ended up telling her. You have always kept my secret. I have always wondered why. Why didn't you take that chance to get rid of me for good?" asked the Lost Boy.
"Well, I was bound by my honour as a martial artist, silly. And if I had told her… I would never have seen you again." She confessed, blushing.
Ryoga felt a sudden joy at her words. He placed his hand on her cheek, caressing it with his thumb. "Thank you." He said with love, and then kissed her tenderly while holding her cheek with his hand. She kissed him back, showing him the same affection.
"You don't need to thank me, P-Chan." She said with a timid smirk when they broke the kiss.
"Oh, that was a low blow." He replied, chuckling.
Suddenly, the phone rang repeatedly, startling and interrupting the two love birds. Ranma made a complaining groan.
"Ok, recess is over. Come on, get back to your homework, and don't give up. I'll get the phone." Said Ryoga while standing up from the bed and walking downstairs to the living room to pick up the phone.
Meanwhile, Ranma went to the bathroom to grab a towel and dry her hair. She undid her braid, and then rested the towel on her head and rubbed it against her wet mane.
A moment later, Ryoga reached the phone, picking up the handset.
"Hello! Hibiki residence. Who's this?"
"Hello Ryoga, I'm Nodoka. How are you?"
"Oh, Mrs. Saot… Nodoka! Hello! We're fine. We're very happy living here, but as soon as I save enough money, we'll move to a place of our own."
"I totally understand. You want to have your own house. You're saving money then? But how?"
"I found myself a job, in a carpentry. They pay decently, so we'll have enough for our daily expenses and even to save some money. Anyway, I just started last Monday, so they haven't paid me yet. But my parents always leave some money in the house, so we're managing with that."
"That's great Ryoga. I'm very happy for you. But, what about Ranma? Isn't he looking for a job too?"
"We have an agreement. He'll look for a job when he finishes high school. Otherwise it would be very hard for him to do both. That way he can focus solely on his education. Besides, this is his last year, so he'll finish on summer." Explained the Lost Boy
"That's very kind of you dear. Thank you for helping him finish his education. If the money your parents left is not enough, let me know and I'll give what you need. In fact, I think it's not fair that you are sustaining the both of you, so I will give you Ranma's share."
"Nodoka, I'm very grateful, but that won't be necessary. We have enough to get by."
"I'm afraid I must insist. My son is not a freeloader." Said Nodoka, in a tone that meant there was no room for discussion.
Ryoga saw rude to reject her aid twice, so he accepted. "Ok Nodoka. Thank you."
"You don't have to thank me, dear. It's my duty as Ranma's mother." Nodoka realized how sweet and well-mannered was Ryoga. He seemed to her like a really good boy, someone caring and loving, and she could understand why her son loved him. "Oh, I called you to check on you, and make sure you were ok, but I almost forgot the other reason. The dinner I told you we we're going to organize with the Tendo? I'm thinking about celebrating it on Saturday. Do you have any problem for that day?"
"No problem at all, Nodoka. We're living pretty quietly, so we don't plan a lot. Wait, I'll get Ranma so you can tell her the details. Besides, she would love to talk to you. She's upstairs doing her homework."
"She?" asked Nodoka, still not getting used to hear his son to be referred as female.
"Yeah, she's in female form right now. Wait a sec."
Then, Ryoga called Ranma to come downstairs to talk to her mother.
'I have a son, and a daughter, in the same person. It's not something bad, just, unusual.' Thought the Saotome matriarch to herself, trying to get used to the new self of her child.
"Hi mom! How are you?" Nodoka could hear a feminine voice greeting her on the other end of the line, breaking her thoughts.
"Hello dear! I'm fine. What's most important, how are you? How is going your new life?"
"I'm fine mom. I'm really happy with Ryoga. He's kind and funny and so caring… He's the best thing that has happened in my life, besides meeting you again."
"Oh dear, you're a sweetheart. I'm so glad that you're happy. That's all that matters to me. Did you talk with Akane?" Nodoka asked her daughter. She remembered that Ranma told her she was going to try and talk to the Tendo girl.
"We talked, yeah. It… went well." Ranma remembered what made Akane to talk to her, what they did on her desk, and tried to take that thought out of her mind. She shook her head, and tried to focus on Akane.
"Ranma? Ranma, are you alright?
"Yeah, I'm alright mom... As I was saying, it went well. I apologized to her, and she was pretty understanding. She's still a bit tense when we're together, but we're making progress. We just need more time."
That's a relief dear. I'm glad that you're talking again. It's a first step. And how about school? Do they know?"
"Ye… yeah, they know." Ranma said in a sad tone.
"Ranma, what's wrong? Are you being treated badly?" asked concerned Nodoka.
"Yeah, not everyone, but many. They… insulted me, but I kicked their asses and now they leave me alone." She lied. She only punched Jiro one time, and that didn't stop the stares, and the insults. But her mother didn't need to know about it. The last thing Ranma wanted was worrying her.
This was one of the things Nodoka feared the most, her child suffering bullying, and she suspected Ranma was not telling her all the truth. But she didn't want to press her right now, she decided. She would have a talk mother to son, or daughter, the day of the dinner. "At least they're leaving you alone, but I'm worried about you. Are you sure you're ok?"
"I'm ok. I promise. Don't worry. It's not easy, but I can handle it."
"Ok dear. Just you know that you can tell me anything that troubles you. I'm your mother, and I love you."
"I know mom, thank you. I love you too. By the way, what about the dinner you wanted to celebrate?"
"Yes, I almost forgot again. I already told Ryoga. I thought it would be a good day on this Saturday evening to have our dinner. What do you think?".
"I think it's great. Remember that I promise to help you to prepare the meals. And Ryoga wanted to help too." the redheaded girl told to her mother.
"I know dear. I really appreciate your help. Ok, then, can you come at 5 p.m.? I think we will have everything ready in less than 3 hours."
"No problem, mom. We'll be there. Did you talk with the Tendo?"
"I finished talking to Soun half an hour ago. They all agreed to come."
"That's great. And… dad? Is he… is he coming?"
"Yes, he'll be there. But Ranma, keep your expectations low with him. He's nowhere near to accept your relationship with Ryoga. And he's still mad because you're not going to unite the schools. I tried to reason with him yesterday, but to no avail." Said Nodoka with a hint of frustration.
"Then why is he coming?"
"Well, he's living here again, but we sleep in separate rooms." This caught Ranma's attention. They were not in good terms. "After what happened, he couldn't stay in the Tendo's anymore. He says… he says that… you won't expel him from his own house, even for one night. He's so stupid and stubborn. Kami Sama, I fear he will ruin the dinner." Said with concern Nodoka. That was a very real possibility.
"I honestly hope not, mom, but it could happen. In any case I'll try to talk to him. He's still my father."
"Ok dear. I hope he listens for once, but don't expect too much from him. Well, Ryoga told me you were doing your homework. I'll let you work in peace. Goodbye my dear. I'll see you on Saturday. I love you."
"Ok mom. We'll see you on Saturday. I love you too."
Then Ranma hung up the phone, and stayed silent for a moment. Her father was going to be at the dinner. How will he behave? Could she talk some sense into him?
Ryoga came back from the kitchen, wiping his hands with a dishtowel.
"Your father is coming then." Stated the Lost Boy, more like announcing a death sentence.
"Yep. We're in for a wild night on Saturday." Replied with resignation the redheaded girl.
"How do you feel?"
"I'm worried. I fear he might screw the night. He can be the biggest jerk in the world, you know. This was supposed to be a chance to fix things with the Tendo." Explained the redheaded beauty with a pessimistic tone.
"You would have preferred him to not be there." Ryoga guessed.
"Yeah, I would. It would have been better to deal with him later, any other time. My mother is worried too."
"It's understandable. She wants us to make amends with the Tendo as much as we do. Well, there's no point in continuing to think about it. We'll deal with him when the time comes."
"You're right. Ok, I'll get back to my dear math problems." she said smirking while walking to the stairs.
"That's my girl." Ryoga said jokingly. Ranma stared at her boyfriend like saying 'I'm going to pound you for that', but a couple of seconds later she smiled to him, taking the comment with humor. "We need to buy some groceries. How about we go after you finish your homework?" he asked her
"Sounds like a plan. We'll take Shirokuro. She'll thank the walk."
"Great." Ryoga said, returning back to the kitchen to finish sorting some kitchen utensils, while Ranma went upstairs to continue with her homework. However, she couldn't get her concern for her father out of her mind.
"C'mon Jiro, I think this is going too far." Said Haru with a worried expression. Haru was Jiro's friend and classmate in Furinkan High, but they were in different classrooms. One thing was to draw something ugly on the guy's desk to humiliate him, but this was entirely different.
"You know what that cocksucker did to me. He punched me and humiliated me in front of the class. He, a faggot! I want payback!" replied Jiro with anger. "Besides, with my plan, we can beat him easily."
"I don't know Jiro. That Ranma has quite a reputation as a martial artist. He even beat Mikado Sanzenin in his own ground, and that guy was pretty good." Argued Youta. He was a long-time friend of Jiro who studied in Kolhotz High School and was in the boxing team.
"I already told you. He's weaker when he's a girl, way weaker. A guy I know told me that he said it himself. We only have to splash him with cold water, and we'll be six against him, all armed with bats and pipes. Did you talk with your friends in the boxing team?" asked Jiro to Youta.
"Yeah, and the three of them are in. They'd love to beat up a faggot, and these guys are serious business. They know how to fight." Replied with a smirk Youta.
"Good. That sodomite doesn't know what's coming to him. Now, I'll explain again what we're going to do in case you have any doubts: when everybody goes home after school, we know the fag accompanies Akane Tendo to her home, and he then goes from the Tendo Dojo to wherever he is living with his boyfriend. Tomorrow, Haru and I will follow him from the school, and Youta and his friends will wait for us out of sight close to the Tendo dojo, wearing the bats and pipes wrapped by a blanket or something like that, to not draw attention. When he leaves Akane Tendo, the six of us will follow him discretely, and we'll wait until he passes by a quiet street. Then, while I'm distracting him, one of you will throw at him a water balloon that it'll splash him with cold water. Once he's a girl, we beat the shit out of him, until he begs me to stop. Everything clear?" asked the hate filled boy to his friends.
"I don't feel comfortable beating up a girl Jiro." said Haru.
"He's not a girl, you idiot. Under that body he's a guy. It's like a disguise, but with magic, and no matter how good that disguise is, he will always be a guy. Do you get it, moron?"
"Yeah Jiro. Ok." Replied ashamed Haru.
Jiro gave him one last look, negating with his head in disappointment. "Youta, tomorrow in school, explain the plan to your friends, and don't forget the weapons." He said, pointing with his index finger to Youta.
"Don't worry Jiro. We'll be ready."
"Good. Now let's go. I need to drink something." Said Jiro getting up from the park bench they were sitting on. The other two boys imitated him, and the trio walked out of the park, feeling a thrill about what was going to happen tomorrow.
The noise of dishes, glasses and kitchen utensils being cleaned and stored filled the kitchen. Ryoga was doing the dishes and the rest of stuff used in the dinner, wearing rubber gloves to avoid getting wet and trigger his curse, and Ranma was drying them and placing them back in the cupboard. After almost a week living together, they had achieved a really good coordination. They were cleaning up after dinner, prepared with the groceries they purchased a couple hours ago when they went out for shopping. Shirokuro was in one corner of the kitchen, just watching them with curiosity, and waiting patiently in case her human friends gave her a treat.
"I'm telling you. When we are in your mother's home, helping your mother with the food and preparations, it's going to be very awkward and tense with your father there. Do you really believe he will keep his mouth shut?" asked Ryoga to Ranma, while doing one of the last dishes.
"I know, I know. I would rather he wasn't there, but it's his house too. And no, he won't keep his mouth shut. That's for sure." Answered the redheaded girl, while drying a glass.
"If he dares to call you names again, I'll punch him. That's a promise." Stated the Lost Boy, a bit irritated. He didn't like a pinch that they were going to deal with Genma alone for three hours before the rest of the guests arrive at the Saotome residence.
"Let's try to keep the situation as civilized as possible. We can't let him ruin the dinner starting a brawl. Try to ignore him, ok?" said Ranma while starting to feel a bit tired for no reason. It was weird, but she forgot about it immediately.
"You're right. Sorry. I'll do my best to stay cool." admitted Ryoga.
"That's my boy." she said with a naughty smile.
"Hey! You were waiting the right moment to return it, you rascal. Now you're in trouble." He retorted while barely containing his laugh. He raised his arms, zombie style, with his rubber gloves covered in soap foam, and started to walk towards her.
"Ryoga, if you touch me with those gloves I swear I'll make you eat them." The redheaded beauty warned him while chuckling, but Ryoga kept walking very slowly towards her. "Ryoga! Don't get any closer!" She ordered him, but it came out like a very feminine squeak.
"C'mon, it's just a bit of foam. It'll look great on your hair." He said with an ample and naughty smile on his face, closer to his girlfriend at each step he took. He had her cornered to the countertop.
"Don't you dare to touch my hair! It's freshly washed!" she said reaching her hands to grab Ryoga's all while laughing out loud. They struggled jokingly during a few seconds, but then, the fatigue Ranma was feeling earlier intensified, and her head started to ache. She lowered her head and placed her hand on her forehead. She stopped laughing immediately.
Ryoga dropped the joke in an instant, took off his gloves and approached Ranma to hold her.
"Ranma, what's wrong? You're feeling ill? Asked the Lost Boy concerned.
"Yeah, my head hurts, and I feel very tired." She was starting to sweat profusely.
"C'mon, let's go to the couch so you can lay there and rest." He said visibly nervous. What the hell was happening to her?
After a moment, Ranma was sitting on the couch with her eyes closed, and her hand resting on her forehead. Ryoga brought her a glass of water and an aspirin, and gave it to her. Ranma swallowed the pill with the aid of the water, and kept placing her hand on her forehead. Ryoga was standing in front of her, considering to take her to Doctor Tofu immediately.
"Ranma, what's happening to you? Did you catch a cold?" He said, sitting down beside her on the couch. He tenderly removed her hand from her forehead and placed his. "You don't have a fever, but I should take you to Tofu right now."
"No please, Ryoga. Don't worry. This… this happens to me during a few days every month. But only when I'm a girl." Said Ranma, trying to calm the Lost Boy, but wasn't working.
"When you're a girl? I don't understand Ranma." Said a confused Ryoga. Something that happened to her every month, and only when she was a girl. It didn't make sense to the young man.
"I was as confused as you before Akane explained what was happening to me. I'm having something called 'the period'." told Ranma to her concerned boyfriend.
"The period? Is it an illness?" asked Ryoga, oblivious to the term.
"No, it's not an illness, you baka. It's something that happens to all women, and has to do with the female hormones. At least that's what I understood from Akane. Every month, during 4 or 5 days, I have headaches, mood changes, irritability, tiredness and trouble sleeping, my belly hurts and my breasts are more sensible, in a painful way." She explained.
"You're kidding. Every woman goes through all that every month? Are you telling me you have gone through all that since you fell in the Nyannichuan?" asked the Lost Boy incredulous.
"Yeah, the first time was a month after I fell in the pond. But I was ashamed, so I told no one about it, until it kept repeating and my concern was overwhelming. Then I told Akane." She told flushing a little.
"Ashamed? Why? That's nothing to be ashamed". Asked Ryoga confused.
"Well, there's the other thing…" she said, finding hard to continue.
"What other thing? Come on Ranma, it's me. You can tell me."
The red headed girl sighed and continued. "I bleed…"
"You bleed? From the nose?" asked innocently Ryoga.
"No, I bleed from down there." She said sheepishly, pointing with a finger to her groin.
"No way. Are you serious?"
"Of course I'm serious, P-brain! Why would I make something like that up?" she said irritated, tired of Ryoga's obliviousness to this.
'Ups, she is angry. Ryoga you are a moron', he thought. "Ok, ok. I'm sorry Ranma. It's just that this is something new to me. And I never noticed any of this symptoms in you."
"Yeah, because I never complained about them, and I never told anyone, except Akane, and I made her promise to never speak of it with anyone. Can you imagine if the wrong person knew about it? Ranma Saotome, man among men, having the period. My enemies would have laughed at me. You would have made fun of me back then when we were at each other's throat." She said in an accusatory tone.
"No, I wouldn't."
"Yes, you would. You're telling me that you would let pass the chance to get payback for all the times I mocked you with your curse?" Ranma insisted, convinced that his pride wasn't letting him to be honest.
"Ranma, yes, I'm telling you. I wouldn't mock you for that. It's something over which you have no control, it's not your fault, and it's not funny. Besides, it would be dishonorable." He paused a couple of seconds, remembering something. "Tell me, do you remember what I did when Kuno, his father and Mousse were beating you up? When the old pervert turned your moxibustion point?"
"Yeah, you protected me." She said ashamed. Ryoga nodded.
"There are things I've done in the past I'm not proud of, but I had my limits. Lines I could not cross no matter how tempting they were." Royga said looking absolutely serious into the redhead's eyes.
She smiled with watery eyes, and wrapped her arms around Ryoga's strong back, resting her head on his chest. "I'm sorry Ryoga, I wasn't being fair with you. I did that a lot in the past, and it seems that I keep doing it."
"Don't worry." He said while stroking her red hair tenderly. "We were fighting all the time, and we were jerks at each other. I understand that you could think that of me back then."
Ranma stared at him, tears rolling down her cheeks. "Why do you have to be so kind?" she said to him, and she cried loudly, her emotions flooding her like a tsunami.
"Ranma please, don't cry. It's no big deal. Please, calm yourself, love." Ryoga said, trying to comfort her, while embracing her tightly. He didn't understand why a silly argument like this affected her so much.
Ryoga hold her in his embrace until her crying gave way to sobs, and she started to calm down.
"I'm sorry Ryoga… it's those damn hormones. They make me very emotional." She told him between sobs.
"Ranma, how have you managed to hide this from everyone?" Ryoga asked, astonished that he had not noticed such a thing about her until now.
"I stay as a boy as long as I can during these days. It doesn't affect my male body." She explained, still sobbing a bit.
"That makes a lot of sense." Admitted the Lost Boy. "Ok, then we have a few tough days ahead of us. Whatever you need, just ask me, ok? I'll help you in anything I can. I assume that you're going to stay male these days as much as you can then?"
"Yeah, that would be the easiest way to pass these days, but I know that it will be impossible to stay male the whole time, due to the nature of the… curse."
"You're right. I'll keep my eye on you, just in case you have an accident. What worries me most is what to do while I'm at work." Said Ryoga concerned.
"Don't worry, I won't be alone in school. I have Akane, Ukyo, Hiroshi and Daisuke there, remember? They'll help me in case I need them." She replied, soothing her boyfriend worries.
"Ok. So, do you want me to bring you some hot water?"
"That would be great. Thanks." She said with a tired expression.
Ryoga stood up and disappeared into the kitchen. Ranma heard the sound of the faucet filling a glass, and a few seconds later, the Lost Boy returned with a glass of steaming water and a towel. The redheaded girl took the glass, poured it over her head, and changed instantly to her male form. Ranma, now a boy, took the towel from his boyfriend and dried his face and his hair. He closed his eyes, and breathed deeply.
"Are you feeling better?" asked Ryoga after a few seconds.
"Yeah, much better now. Thank you handsome. Ups, sorry, I forgot I'm male now." He said, smiling sheepishly while blushing.
"Baka, I don't mind you calling me that while you are male." Ryoga said, then approached him and kissed his lips, reassuring him, which Ranma thanked him kissing him back.
When they broke the kiss, the pigtailed boy stood up from the couch. "I'll go change clothes into some pajamas. Movie tonight?
"Sure. Let's hope there's something good on tv. I'm going to change clothes too."
The two boys went upstairs willing to change to more comfortable garments, and enjoy a movie together. A calm moment before a storm that would be unleashed upon Ranma tomorrow.
Finally, it was Friday, and all the students at Furinkan High were eager to finish classes and get back home to start to enjoy the weekend. Ranma was paying attention carefully to the explanation Professor Hinako Ninomiya was doing about verbal forms in English. Though he was usually distracted during classes, he managed to have enough diligence to approve the different subjects by the minimum necessary. This was due to that Ranma's solely interest up until now was martial arts, and all he wanted was to become a sensei. Now that that future was unclear, since he wasn't going to inherit the Tendo dojo, the impact Ryoga's words had on him about having an education would mean access to better jobs, and his eagerness to finish high school so he should not suffer bullying and isolation from his classmates anymore, his motivation was higher and he started to be a more dedicated student.
Jiro was observing him from his desk, a few meters behind him, frowning while tensing his jaw. He had noticed his hated classmate was more focused in the classes since a few days ago. 'When that cocksucker has become a good student? You're going to be out of the school for a good while after we finish with you, freak.' He was thinking. 'I hope Youta has already talked to his friends. Hehe, this is going to be fun.'
The schoolyard was booming with activity, being launch break right now. Many students had brought their bento boxes, but many others preferred to buy from the school cantina, despite the place being a battlefield where only the strongest or the luckiest get their meals. Ranma was walking by the side of the main building to the usual spot where he spent the launch break with his friends, holding proudly a sealed meat bread he had to fight to get at the cantina. He was about to get away from the side of the building when a splash of cold water fell over him, turning him into a soaked petite redhead.
"You should be careful when pouring that through the window!" a voice exclaimed from a window somewhere upstairs.
"Oh, don't be such a pain." A feminine voice retorted.
Ranma sighed. Sooner or later it had to happen. At least her meat bread didn't get wet because it was still sealed. She hurried to meet her friends, finding them already at their spot, under the shadow of a big tree. When she arrived, Ukyo was arguing with Hiroshi about where they served the best okonomiyaki, with the chef girl defending that hers was the best, of course, while Hiroshi said that it was a place called Seiko's Okonomiyaki, in Daimon Street. Daisuke was watching them amusingly while eating his lunch.
"Hey Ranchan! You got splashed again?" asked Ukyo to her when she arrived.
"What makes you think that Ucchan?" replied the soaked redheaded girl with sarcasm, sitting down beside her while opening her meat bread's wrapping. "Where's Akane?"
"She's talking with Yuka and Sayuri." Replied Daisuke, chewing his sandwich.
"Hey, Hiroshi, let's ask Ranma which one he thinks is the best okonomiyaki." Said suddenly the chief girl.
"Come on Ukyo, she's your friend since childhood. Of course she's going to say yours it's the best." Argued Hiroshi while pouting.
"Stop whining Hiroshi. Ranchan, have you tried the okonomiyaki from Seiko's?" asked her to the redhead.
"Yeah, a couple times." Answered the pigtailed martial artist while taking a bite of her food.
"And which one do you think makes the best okonomiyaki? Seiko's or me?" Ukyo asked, knowing the answer.
"Oh, that's easy." Said the redheaded girl, making appear a proud smile in Ukyo's face. "It's Seiko's. The base is delicious, and the vegetables with the meat and the spicy sauce are perfect." She said totally convinced. The chief girl was speechless and you could almost see how she was breaking down to pieces, anime style. They could hear Hiroshi exclaiming 'Hell yeah!'.
When Ranma saw Ukyo's expression, she couldn't keep the straight face anymore and exploded into laughing. "Relax Ucchan, I'm pulling your leg." She managed to say between laughs.
"That wasn't funny Ranchan! You got me there." She said, smiling after a few seconds.
"I'm sorry, I couldn't resist. Hiroshi, sorry pal, but Ukyo makes the best okonomiyaki that money can buy, and I'm not saying it because she's my childhood friend. It's because she's that good." Stated Ranma, still her face a little red from the laughing.
"Yeah, sure." Replied Hiroshi frowning.
Then Ranma started to feel again the headache, and cursed her bad luck getting splashed. The tiredness returned too, and she lowered her head, reaching her hand to her forehead and closing her eyes.
"Ranma, are you ok?" asked with concern Hiroshi when he saw her. Ukyo turned her eyes to her friend immediately.
"Ranchan, what's happening? Are you ill?" asked the chef.
"Yeah, I think I caught a cold or something like that. My head hurts." She told them. The best thing she could do was to get some hot water, but where? The only two places she knew were the cantina's kitchen and the showers in the locker rooms. She decided that her best option was the cantina, so she would go there before going to her classroom.
"Hey Ranma…" someone called her name from behind them. Ranma opened her eyes to look and was startled to see that it was Nabiki. "Can we talk?" she asked with her signature calculating stare.
"Nabiki… yeah… ok, we can talk." Said an astonished Ranma. "Guys, I'll be right back."
The pigtailed girl stood up, and followed Nabiki to a quiet spot where the two of them could talk away from unwanted ears.
"Are you ok? You don't look good kiddo." Asked her the Ice Queen.
"I have a headache. Don't worry about it. I'm ok." Lied Ranma. The last thing she wanted was Nabiki learning what was really happening to her. "What did you want to talk about?"
"Ok. Let's start letting you know that I'm still a bit upset about what happened, and the way we ended up knowing about it. Of this last one I don't blame you. I know it wasn't your fault, and from what my sister told me, the guy responsible paid dearly for it." Explained the mercenary girl.
"Yeah, he did. But Nabiki, about what happened, you knew things weren't going well between me and your sister. It would have been a miracle if our relationship had worked out." Tried to explain Ranma.
"I know. And I agree with you. My sister was confident that because you have been fighting since you met, being two years later in the same dynamic would not affect you. She was obviously wrong. And our stupid parents trying to force you to marry in that wedding fiasco. I bet that drove you further away from her."
"It did. The wedding attempt made things worse." Ranma admitted.
"I don't hold a grudge Ranma. I don't like to see my sister suffering, but she is partly responsible. But why did you cheat on her? Why didn't you told her that the engagement was over before dating Ryoga?" Nabiki said quietly. If she was upset, Ranma couldn't tell.
"Nabiki, it wasn't like that. I wasn't looking to cheat on Akane. What happened between Ryoga and me, neither of us expected it. And we were going to tell you, but you got the pictures before we could…" Said the redhead lowering her head.
"Ok, I guess things ended up happening in the worst way possible. Forget about it. That's the past already. I just wanted to set the record straight with you. Now, there's something else I wanted to talk about."
"Ok, shoot."
"My father told us about the dinner tomorrow. It seems that Nodoka want to fix things between us. Me and my sisters are on board, but my father still has some hopes that you and Akane can get back together. We need to convince him that this situation is definitive. Look Ranma, like your mother, I want things to get back to normal. I want us to be in good terms, for my sister and my father, and because this is bad for my business too. I can't lose one of my main sources of income." Nabiki said with a mischievous smile.
"Oh, that must be me. Always the business woman, eh?" retorted Ranma, returning the mischievous smile.
"You know me. Who do you think that pays for most of the bills of the house? Anyways, if this is going to work, we need to tie your father up short."
"I agree. He'll probably put his foot in his mouth at first chance." said Ranma with certainty.
"Yep, more for sure than probably. But I have a plan. I don't have time to explain now, but I'll update you once we are in your mother's home." The mercenary girl told her. Then the bell started to ring loudly, warning everyone that lunch break had finished. "Ok, I'll see you tomorrow. Don't get into more trouble until then kiddo!" she said while walking away to the main building.
Ranma walked to the tree where her friends were waiting for her, And the four of them returned quickly to their classroom, with Ranma making a small detour to get some hot water in the cantina kitchen.
The sunny morning had turned into a cloudy afternoon, and some wind started to blow. Ranma and Akane were walking to the Tendo Dojo, like every school day after the classes finished.
"Nabiki appeared in our spot during lunch break. She wanted to talk with me." Told Ranma to the black haired girl.
"Oh, and what did you talk about?" asked a surprised Akane.
"We talked about tomorrow's dinner in mom's home. She said that all of you were ok with it. That made me really happy. I hope it helps to smooth things over between us." The pigtailed boy said with a timid smile.
"I hope that too Ranma. My father needs to move on. This situation is taking its toll on him."
"Yeah, I understand he might still be upset. How about you Akane? Are you still upset?" asked Ranma, fearing the answer.
"I wouldn't be talking to you if I were. But our mutual trust has been damaged. It will need time to heal." Replied Akane, which was an answer more hopeful than Ranma expected.
"Yeah, I get it. I'll wait all the time you need." He answered, making the Tendo girl to smile.
The youngsters kept chatting, not noticing that they were being followed. Jiro and Haru were behind them at a safe distance, trying to not draw their attention. They were in their school uniforms, but at this hour, it was something totally normal to see. Haru was holding a small balloon filled with water, of about 10 cm diameter.
"We must be close to the Tendo Dojo." Said Haru lowering his voice.
"Yeah… there it is." Replied Jiro in the same voice volume. "Youta and his friends should be waiting for us at their spot. C'mon, let's go meet them, but don't take your eyes off the freak."
The two boys walked to a parallel street, where they saw their accomplices waiting behind a wall. When they met them, Jiro looked in the direction of the Tendo Dojo's front door, where Ranma was still talking to Akane.
"Hey guys." Jiro greeted them. Youta was holding the bats and pipes, covered by a blanket. He was accompanied by three other boys of broad shoulders and strong arms, no doubt boxing practitioners. When Jiro saw Youta holding the weapons he nodded. "Good, we're ready. We just have to wait until he passes by a quiet street and we get him."
"Hey, he's moving again." Said Haru.
"Ok, let's go. Each one pick a weapon. Don't let him see you yet." Said Jiro, and after grabbing himself a bat, they started to move following the pigtailed boy.
Ranma was walking the street absentmindedly, worried about the dinner tomorrow. Only an old couple was out there, walking peacefully to his direction.
He wanted the dinner to go well, and his father could ruin it for good with his attitude. Luckily, he had the help of her mother and Nabiki to tie him up short if necessary. Nabiki once more had surprised him with her pragmatism. She had a soft side she hid ferociously to maintain her reputation as a cold business woman, but sometimes this side surfaced.
Suddenly, the martial artist felt a tingling in his neck, and some uneasiness he couldn't place. These were usual signs of danger, and he started to look around. He could not see anything suspect, but he knew they were there, close. He stopped, and decided to face them now, before he got closer to his home.
"I know you're there! Come out and face me!" he exclaimed, and waited patiently. From behind a wall, three men emerged. Behind him, three more appeared. They were all carrying wooden bats and metal pipes, so this wasn't going to be a nice chat. One of them talked.
"Hey Saotome! How are you doing man? Going to see your boyfriend?" Jiro said disdainfully.
"Jiro. I should have guessed. Don't tell me you're still angry about that punch…" Ranma was cut out by a sudden splash of cold water in his neck and the side of his face, which triggered his change to his female form. "What the hell?!" said the now startled redheaded girl in a higher pitch voice.
"Good aim Haro!" exclaimed Jiro while smiling.
"What did you do that for?!" exclaimed Ranma, moving her wet bangs of red hair from her eyes. She started to feel the headache and the tiredness again, and cursed her woman biology.
"You'll be less cocky, now that you are a girl, a fake one at least." Said Jiro, not losing the smile.
"So this is your big plan? Turn me into a girl to make things easier to beat me?" she asked, the pain in her head growing stronger.
"I'm not gonna beat you, I'm going to break every bone in that nice body of yours. Until you beg me to stop." Jiro threatened her. "Let's go!" He ordered to the others, raising his bat and adopting a fighting stance. His friends imitated him, every one raising his weapon.
Ranma immediately adopted a fighting stance too, trying to come up quickly with a strategy. She was weakened, not because she was female, like this idiot believed, but by the physical symptoms of her period. The timing could not have been worse for a fight. The intense headache was making difficult for her to think, and the exhaustion was making her body feel heavier, taking each action more effort. This would affect her speed, slowing her down considerably, and it would make her strikes weaker. To make things worse, she was outnumbered, and they had weapons. She had to take out as many as she could in her first attack. Unfortunately, her time was up, as her enemies run towards her. 'To hell with the strategy, I'll have to improvise.' She thought.
One of the boxers was the first to swing his metal pipe aiming to her head. Ranma ducked making a leg split, Jean Claude Van Damme style, dodging the weapon by a hair's breadth, and then struck with her right fist her opponent in the crotch. The guy grabbed his groin with both hands and collapsed on the floor, pain screams coming out from his mouth. Another bat's swing came to her from above. She saw it coming, and rolled to one side, avoiding a hit that otherwise would have hurt her pretty badly. Youta's bat hit the ground with a thud, and the pigtailed girl took advantage of the opening, launching a side kick to his head that landed partially, making him hit the dirt.
Just as the pigtailed martial artist landed her kick, she felt a sharp blow on her back, which made her cry out in pain. She recovered quickly, ignoring the pain, grabbed the metal pipe that hit her, and threw a spinning backfist to her enemy's face, launching him a couple of meters away from her. Another blow from her side that she didn't see coming hit her in her chest, and she had to scream again in pain, her more sensible breasts significantly increasing the pain sensation. She quickly looked to the blow's origin and saw Jiro holding the bat that hit her. He then grabbed her by her shirt, trying to hit her with his knee. With all the speed she could gather, she closed the distance between them and punched him in the guts, following the blow with an elbow to his chin, that threw him backwards and landed back first on the ground. Since he didn't let go of her shirt, he tore it when she sent him flying, popping off several buttons. This exposed part of her chest, showing a thick reddish-purplish band across her breasts, where Jiro's blow impacted. Ranma tried to cover herself, but since the buttons popped off, the shirt wouldn't stay on its place. She smacked herself mentally. This was no time for feminine modesty.
The two opponents still standing, Haru and one of the boxers, kept their distance from her, their weapons ready to strike, but they were hesitant after Ranma took out four of them, including Jiro, so quickly. She was breathing heavily, was really tired, and her chest and back were in pain from the blows she received. Sadly, her strikes lacked the power they would have in normal circumstances, and she knew it. Except the one she cracked his balls, Jiro and the others would recover soon. In fact, Youta was already standing up. She considered using her Moko Takabisha or the Tenshin Amaguriken, but she doubted she could muster enough Ki for them. The Hiryu Shoten Ha was out of the question, as with her physical state, she could not achieve the cold state of mind and Ki required to execute the technique, and she didn't know if she could lure so many opponents into the spiral. She was running out of options, as she was more tired with each passing moment, and her headache increased with all this violence, taking its toll on her.
"What are you waiting idiots? Attack him at once!" Youta yelled to his friends, taking a bat from the ground. The three of them run to her swinging their weapons. A second before they could reach her, she jumped out of their grasp, landing with difficulty behind Haru, who received a front kick to his face, throwing him backwards and making him crash against a telephone pole. When she was about to hit Youta with a round house kick, someone landed a horrific blow to her belly, hitting first her right forearm, which took the worst of the blow, making the exhausted redheaded girl cry out in agony. She felt how the bone of her forearm cracked, and her arm hanged useless from her shoulder. With a great effort she jumped a few meters away from the guy who landed the blow, finding he was Jiro. The bastard had recovered from her elbow to the chin and took the opportunity to hit her while she was dealing with the others. He was smiling, knowing the same as her that her arm was broken.
Four of her enemies were standing four or five meters away from her: Jiro, Youta and two of the boxers. Haro was knocked out, and the other boxer was still laying on the ground clutching his crotch as he whimpered.
Ranma knew she could not win in her sorry state, especially with a broken arm. As much as she hated it, she had to run away, if she wanted to live. But she was exhausted. She could not outrun four men who were in better physical condition than she was, and not as beaten. She had to distract them so she could have some lead time, and use the last remaining strength to run home.
"You are fucked, faggot! Let's see how well you fight with a broken arm!" Tried to taunt her Jiro. "And when we're finished with you, maybe we get to play a little with that pretty woman's body of yours." He said, licking his upper lip and leering at her exposed bust.
That last comment disgusted Ranma to the extreme, but didn't shake her resolve. They were in for a nice surprise. The martial artist started to gather all the Ki she could before her enemies decided to attack her again. This was it. If this didn't work, she was dead, or worse. She extended her arms, joining the palms of her hands. The four boys stared at her weird pose, puzzled. Suddenly a ball of energy formed in front of her hands and she yelled: "Moko Takabisha!" and then the ball was fired at high speed, landing on the ground just in front of her enemies, creating a big explosion that sent the four boys flying several meters away in different directions.
The redheaded martial artists could no longer stand and fell to her knees on the ground. To breath was a struggle to her, and she was having a hard time catching her breath. Her chest hurt, her back hurt and her arm hurt intensly, especially when she tried to move it. But she knew she couldn't give up now. Those bastard won't stay laying on the ground for long. She had to make her escape now. With a great effort, she stood up again, held her broken arm with her free hand, trying to move it as little as possible, and started to run the best she could in the direction of her home.
"Where are you going bitch?!" screamed Jiro from the ground, still stunned by the explosion. He saw the redhead turn a corner and disappeared from their view. "Hey, Youta, guys, get up and go after that bitch! She's running away!" he yelled to his accomplices. The four boys stumbled a few times before they managed to get up. Forgetting about their knocked out friends, they run after Ranma as fast as they could. When they turned the same corner as her, they looked in every direction, spotting her a few hundred meters from them. She was running with difficulty, and they knew they could catch her, so they started chasing her.
Ranma looked back, and saw her enemies behind her. She managed to put some distance with them, but they would eventually catch her if she couldn't get home soon. She kept running, trying to ignore the burning sensation in her chest, the pain in her full body. She had to make it, no matter how. She looked back again. They were closer. But she was close to home too. Just a couple streets more. But she didn't want to bring them to her home. That would create even more trouble if they find out where she lives. She had to throw them off.
Jiro and the others were closer each passing moment. They were faster than her. A few moments more and she would be done for. He saw the girl turn another corner. No matter how many turns she made, they would get her eventually. A few moments later they were turning the corner she took, but she was nowhere to be seen.
"Fuck! Where is he?" screamed Jiro.
"He must be hiding somewhere." Said Youta.
"Spread out! Look for him!" ordered Jiro to his friends, and they started to take different directions, trying to find the elusive redhead, ignoring the frightened looks of people passing by.
Ranma held her breath, no matter how badly she needed it. She was hiding behind some bushes in the front yard of a nearby house. She could hear Jiro giving orders to his goons. One of them was really close, just a few meters from her. If he kept getting closer, he could spot her. Then she remembered something, and scolded herself mentally for not thinking about it earlier. She could use the Umi-Sen Ken technique to hide her presence. She tried to relax, focus on her breathing, lowering her heart rate. Little by little, she reached a point of equilibrium, and she then vanished from sight. The boy was just a few steps from the bushes, and he took a look behind them, but saw nothing. He then resumed his search away for there.
'It worked! I can use this technique to get home without them noticing me. I just need to focus and conceal my presence.' She thought, and started to move, but for an untrained observer, there was nothing there. She kept steading her breath, keeping her heart rate low. She was sweating profusely, so demanding was this technique on her weakened body. She was out in the street now, a few tens of meters from Jiro, who was looking behind a fence. She kept her cool and walked silently behind her enemy, who seemed to not notice her.
"We're going to find you cocksucker! And when we do, we'll make you regret what you did!" yelled a frustrated Jiro, but this didn't break Ranma's concentration. She was very close to home now.
A couple of minutes later, Ranma arrived to her home's street. Just a few houses more and she would be safe. Luckily, none of her pursuers was in this street. Finally, she was at the front door of her home. She tried to pick her keys out of her pocket with her good arm, which proved more difficult than she thought, because they were in the opposite side pocket. Suddenly, she realized she had lost her school bag during the fight. 'Screw it' she thought. She let go her concentration to pick up the keys, and the Umi-Sen Ken stopped, making her visible again. She had to get into the house quick, before someone could see her. She slid the key in the lock, opened the door pushing it with her shoulder, and quietly closed it behind her with her unharmed arm. Finally, she was safe. Then she collapsed on the ground, breathing heavily, covered in sweat. Due to her concentration she had ignored the pain in her body, but now all came back with a vengeance. Her head was about to explode, she barely had enough strength to crawl, her chest and back were burning, and each time she tried to move her broken arm she had to stifle a scream. She was feeling dizzier at each passing moment. She tried to reach the telephone. She had to call Ryoga, but she didn't know his work's number. Then she recalled that there was an address book where he noted all the useful numbers and addresses, like Nodoka's, his work's or the Taxi company's. She crawled to the table where the telephone was, using the last of her strength, but to her it looked like it was a kilometer away. She managed to get to the couch, but she needed to catch her breath. She sat there on the floor, laying her pained back on the furniture. She was so tired, so exhausted, she decided to rest a little there before making the last effort to get to the phone. Then her eyelids felt heavier and heavier. She couldn't keep her eyes open anymore, until all went black. She had passed out.
"Youta, did you see him?" asked Jiro, angrier with each passing moment they couldn't find their prey.
"No, he run away Jiro. It's pointless to keep looking. We searched all the streets around here. We lost him." Youta said.
"Fuck!" Jiro screamed in sheer frustration. "Ok, let's get out of here. We're drawing too much attention. We'll get him another day. Now we know we can beat him." He said, turning around and getting back where they had the fight with Ranma, to pick up their beaten friends. He wasn't worried. They nearly pummelled to a pulp the great Ranma Saotome, and he knew it. They would try it again the next week, and this time, he wouldn't be so lucky.
Ryoga exited the cab. He felt tired. The day at work had been really busy, and they had to work hard to not be behind schedule. He never thought that working the wood, something that during his travels he found relaxing, could be so stressing when working on it professionally. None of that would matter when he gets home. He would hug Ranma tenderly and they would plan something to do during the afternoon/evening. It was Friday after all.
He opened the door and called 'Tadaima', but there was no answer. Then he saw her, laying on the floor with her back against the couch.
"RANMA!" he screamed, and run to her, forgetting to close the door. "Ranma, what happened!" she didn't respond. She seemed to be unconscious.
Ryoga kneeled by her, and was shocked when he took a good look at her. She was breathing steadily. That was a good sign. However, her hair was all sweaty and messed up, her shirt was covered in sweat too, and it had been torn open, exposing part of her chest, which showed a very ugly purple band across her breasts, like if she had been hit by a staff or something similar. The worst was her right arm. Her forearm showed near the elbow a terrible hematoma, an intense red circle around a dark purple spot where he supposed she received the blow. He didn't touch the arm, fearing it could be broken. Who could have done this to her? And why? The tore shirt frightened him extremely. Did someone tried to assault her? They had to be several if they left her in this state. Then he saw her pants, and spotted blood stains in her crotch area.
'They did it…they… How could they dare to...' Ryoga thought, tears forming in his eyes, while he caressed her cheek. His body was trembling with pure rage. A red glow started to show up around his body as his depression Ki increased and his battle aura inflamed. A moment later, his battle aura disappeared together with the red glow. He calmed himself. No, she needed him now, and she needed him calmed. He had to take her to Tofu. Luckily he asked him his direction when Ranma and him visited last time.
Ryoga lifted Ranma with great care, holding her bridal style, and placed her on the couch with equal care, laying her down, paying especial attention to her wounded arm. When she was safely and comfortably placed, he went upstairs to get a jacket, came back downstairs and rested it so it would cover Ranma's exposed chest. Then he picked up the telephone and called the taxi company, asking for a cab to come as fast as they could. He explicitly stated it was an emergency. The attendant on the other end of the line assured him that the cab would arrive within ten minutes. Now he had to tell Ranma's mother what had happened and that he was going to take Ranma to Tofu's clinic.
He dialled the number and waited a few seconds, until a feminine voice answered his call.
"Hello? This is Saotome's residence. Who's this?" Nodoka greeted.
"Nodoka, I'm Ryoga. The first thing I want to tell you is that Ranma's life is not in danger, but something bad has happened." Said Ryoga, tears still rolling down his cheeks.
"Ryoga, what happened to her?!" asked Nodoka startled and feeling horror at Ryoga's words.
"Someone attacked her, I don't know when. She was laying on the floor unconscious, here home, when I arrived from work. She's badly wounded. I think she has a broken arm. I just called a cab to take her to Dr. Tofu. We'll go as soon as the cab arrives." Explained the distressed Lost Boy.
"Oh my baby! But who could do this? Why?" she asked.
"I don't know Nodoka. She always comes straight home when school is out, so they must have attacked her then. When Ranma wakes up she will be able to tell us who did it." Ryoga didn't want to worry Nodoka more than she was with speculation, but he had his fears after seeing Ranma's clothes.
"Then I will go to the clinic immediately, and I will tell Tofu that you are bringing her to him."
"Ok. Don't worry. The cab must be about to arrive. We will be there shortly."
"Thank you Ryoga." Then she hanged up.
He waited, kneeling beside Ranma. Moved her bangs from her eyes, and caressed again her cheek, trying to contain his tears.
5 minutes later, a car arrived outside and the driver honked the car horn. He knew that that had to be the cab. Thank Kami they were fast. He lifted carefully his wounded girlfriend, taking especial care with her broken arm, and walked quickly to the door, which was still open, and closed it behind them. Once he rested her inside the cab, Ryoga told the taxi driver the clinic's address, and pleaded him to hurry up. He didn't take his eyes away from her during the whole time it took them to get to the clinic, holding her in his arms. She looked really weak, covered in sweat and the blow to the arm looked bad. She must have felt so much pain… so much suffering to run away and get home. The anger was starting to build up inside the Lost Boy again, but so did his fear that she could be badly wounded and that they could have… abused her, making the trip like an agony. He would find out who did this. No matter how long it would take or not knowing how he would find them, but when he did, he'll make them pay…