The New ButterFly Lovers Chapter 2
Written By: DaisukiFox
DaisukiFox: Sorry this took so long to come out! I tried my best to get it done as soon as possible and I guess I overestimated myself and ended up passing out working on it… well… the next day after that I think I was just too mentally drained because I was forcing myself to finish something faster than I normally could. I couldn't end much and had headaches all day basically, then finally I buckled down and got the chance to finish this but make it so it still has that familiar feeling but also leaves the end open for a third possible installation! I admit I didn't expect this to win the polls on my DeviantArt account but I'm glad it did!
Disclaimer: I do not own Ranma or the remake! Please support the official release as well as the remake!
Ryoga sat at the very edge of a beautiful mountain top overlooking a rural area of Japan, where the farmland was wide, plentiful, and thriving. However, that mattered very little to him. His mind was stuck in that moment where he was merging with Ranma, where he felt that inner peace of knowing that Ranma suffered from similar pains to his own.
Soon after, images of Akane's violent assumptions filled his mind, along with images of the times he had failed to see that Ranma wasn't at fault. Ryoga also couldn't escape the fact that Ranma had hurt him before just so he could cure his curse, reminded of how much of an insensitive jerk the pigtailed prodigy could be.
"Why am I so damn fixated on Ranma!?" Ryoga sat up and placed his hands onto the sides of his head, eyes shut in denial.
Try as he might, he couldn't deny that he had enjoyed becoming one with Ranma. He tried to fill his mind with his beloved angels, Akane and Akari. An onslaught of Ranma memories would fill his mind, especially when Ranma pretended to be his fiancé. Rather than causing him to hate and loathe his enemy further, it gave him those same feelings of longing he had when it came to Akane and Akari.
"What am I supposed to say to Akari too? Oh hey, Akari, no big deal but I was forced to kiss the love of–" Ryoga paused before slapping himself across the face. "My hated enemy Ranma because some stupid magic butterfly from China possessed me to do it!" Ryoga corrected as he then lowered his head into his hands.
"Wait, I know what I have to do! I'll get so lost that even Ranma won't find me! Even if I can't stop thinking about–" The fang-toothed teen said before pausing as his left eye twitched in annoyance.
For once Ryoga was enjoying himself wholeheartedly with Ranma outside the Tendo Dojo. The way her small frame clung to his as she held him by the collar of his shirt. This was a fight with no clear winner since the whole point was that they were dealing with their newfound perspectives on each other.
Ryoga wasn't sure why but knew that he couldn't help but relive that moment when they were with the butterflies he rode that high like a professional surfer perfectly and calmly executing a trick. His partner did the same, lost in the moment but she kissed him as if she had always known how to.
Finally, after what had felt like forever, the two parted lips before closing their eyes and taking deep breaths, rather than beating the ever-living tar out of each other they instead looked as if they had just taken a long drink of water in an oasis.
After catching their breaths their eyes met in the middle, he remembered how vulnerable she had been, how much longing he had seen in Ranma's eyes. All the images of when Ranma had messed with him couldn't stop what happened next. Following their instincts both fought off the want to continue exploring and embraced as if they'd never see each other again.
"We're so dead man," Ranma muttered barely above a whisper, lowering her head so the front of her hair cast a shadow over her eyes.
"I know Saotome, I know…" Ryoga replied his voice trailing when he repeated himself, his tone matching hers as one of his hands was atop her head and the other was on the small of Ranma's delicate but toned back.
"I know everything about you now, did you see that crazy outer space place we went to? Or was that just me?" Ranma asked, clearly wanting to move but was able to tell Ryoga was going to look at her and just rested the side of her face against his chest.
"I wish I could say I didn't," Ryoga sighed, tilting his head back as he looked at the moon.
"I remember thinking the night was too beautiful, too beautiful to be holding my worst enemy so closely," Ryoga remarked mid-daydream, looking at the amazing scenery before him or rather looking beyond it since his mind wandered back.
"This is nuts, shouldn't we be over this?" Ranma questioned, her voice quaking near the end.
"I thought that too, but I've seen things about you, I think I've seen everything there is to see about you so now you're stuck in my head and it's not getting any better,"
"I think making out helped though, and yeah, I can say the same, like how I also know if you're not so sure about Akari. Guess I could see why you'd still be so unsure about giving up on Akane…" Ranma's voice trailed and although Ryoga couldn't see it he knew that she must have been blushing because Ryoga was doing the same, although he was a little irked because thanks to those butterflies now Ranma knew something that was supposed to have been a private thought, now it was out in the open just like that for them.
"Just great, if turning into a damn pig wasn't enough now I also gotta' worry about your Mom forcing you to commit ritual seppuku!" Ryoga complained.
"Y-you even know about that?" Ranma questioned with a stutter, her voice rising due to fear. "But why do you even care about that? Figured you'd be all for an easy way out," Ranma added her voice getting weaker as she finished.
"You know damn well why Ranma, because of that whole mess we got ourselves into now we can't stop thinking about the other," Ryoga confessed, his face getting redder as he hated this fact but at the same time didn't mind it.
"Honestly, I can't eat pork anymore after seeing what you've been through Ryoga, man…" Ranma's voice trailed, sounding annoyed as she confessed and then looked off to the side as her blush deepened. "You mean a lot to me now too, as much as I hate to say it and I really hate to say it…"
"I get it…" Ryoga's voice trailed in annoyance, his hand applying pressure to Ranma's head.
"I can't get you out of my head too! N-now stop crushing it!" Ranma remarked as Ryoga's hand relaxed.
"H-hey! Your annoying ass smug mouth got me to stop being romantic for a second!" Ryoga alerted as both he and Ranma pulled apart from one another.
"H-hey! Yeah!" Ranma agreed, her eyes widening as she looked relieved.
"Say something else! Come on! Be the annoying jackass you've always been known for!" Ryoga said all too gleefully, thinking Ranma would be elated too only to see her glaring.
"I was gonna' say for you to do the same for me but it looks like you're a natural Pig breath!" Ranma remarked then took a step back from Ryoga.
"I did learn how to be a pain in the ass from the best after all!" Ryoga said as one of his eyes twitched, glad to be putting some distance between him and the unintentionally scantily clad redhead.
"I got an idea, do you want to get out of here real quick, stupid?" Ranma questioned, glad that with enough effort they could fight their wants.
"I'm all ears! The sooner the better!" Ryoga declared, always speaking just below being too loud for others to hear.
"Keep pissing me off until I get it in me to send you flying!" Ranma advised, with this in mind she pumped a fist to her side.
"Ranma you brilliant! Dishonorable, two-timing, crossdresser! I hate you and your beautiful blue eyes!" Ryoga's happy face vanished with his last attempt at an insult, turning around so Ranma could send him packing.
Ranma allowed Ryoga to egg her on, for once it was to her benefit but she knew she could do worse. During the beginning of his insults she felt the fire she needed to do what was needed, although when Ranma had stopped to gawk she had already kicked with the force she needed.
Wham!
"Stupid P-chan! Now I gotta' live with having heard you call my eyes beautiful!" Ranma glared, really wanting to shout but knowing it would catch the others attention, angrily watching him flying off into the distance, warding evil.
Now Ryoga was in full blown panic mode, his face was flushed so brightly red it could give the red shade of Ranma's girl side a run for her money. His eyes spiraled as anime steam puffs drifted from the top of his head as he could recall how eagerly he complimented his nemesis.
"I'll just get so damn lost I won't be able to ever see that smug beautiful-bastard again!" Ryoga corrected himself as he picked up his umbrella and leaped into the air before opening his umbrella and letting the wind take the sails as he grit his teeth while fighting back his intense urge to be around his bitter rival.
At the Tendo Dojo Ranma sat Indian style staring at the backyard and with her arms crossed, dressed in only a wife beater and boxer shorts, he juggled his right leg as if anxious for something. Her blue haired fiancé watched from the dining room table.
"Is Ranma alright...?" Kasumi whispered into Akane's ear while carrying a tray.
"I don't know, he's been like that all morning, says he has a lot on his mind..." Akane answered but she knew better, she knew Ranma was probably still disgusted over the fact that he kissed Ryoga. 'Maybe he's thinking up some more ways to get back at Ryoga...' she thought then sighed.
"I wonder if I should ask him if he'd like anything…?" Kasumi questioned, tilting her head with her eyes closed but then looked down to her sister who shook her head.
"Let him sulk, he's probably just mad because he was under some crazy spell..." Akane sighed but felt a nagging voice in the back of her head telling her to not dismiss this.
"Anyways, I wish I could stay but Yuka and Sayuri invited me to hang out today in Osaka..." Akane commented as she stood up and began to walk away.
"Who's going to Osaka…?" Soun asked, clearly not having any specific clue as to what had happened.
"Hello father," Kasumi greeted, watching him walk in.
"Hello my sweet Kasumi, how are you on this fine morning?" The father of the Tendo family began as he saw Kasumi place a tray down.
"Oh, fine. I've just been enjoying this new show on TV you got me," She began with a smile, watching Soun take a seat then unfold his newspaper from the tray.
"I'm so glad you're enjoying your gift," Soun commented, closing his eyes as he took what was given.
"I'm the one going to Osaka by the way, so I'm gonna' go get ready!" Akane clarified by calling over her shoulder and she left to get ready for her trip.
"Oh! Right! Must've slipped my mind, have fun, my sweet Akane." Soun replied as he whipped open his newspaper.
In the background, Ranma was juggling her leg faster now. "Come on, I need to focus on beating that new technique..." She grumbled to herself with her eyes shut but when she tried to focus on Ryoga's new ability she couldn't help but envision their last late-night session with Ryoga, 'Stop it! That kiss from last night should have helped! I made out with him long enough to calm this freaky junk!' Ranma thought, one of her eyes twitched as her thoughts made him go back to Ryoga's warm embrace and the sensation of his lips against his girl side's own.
Try as she might there was no escaping what had happened last night and although she tried to sate it the day prior, but Ranma couldn't help but crave more. To the point she felt like she was experiencing withdrawals despite never having done anything enough to get addicted to; except maybe food.
"I'm gotta' go!" Ranma announced, trying to walk out.
"Uh..." Soun called out as he held a hand out, noticing that Ranma was in nothing but her boxers and wife beater.
"What!?" Ranma asked with a cold, icy stare.
To which Soun leaned back with his newspaper clutched close to his chest.
"I think what father was trying to get at was maybe you'd like to change first," Kasumi suggested, making her look down at his clothes.
"Oh..." The Saotome prodigy pouted before making his way back inside and up the stairs.
The night before played out in Ranma's head like a theater film, over and over again. What could she do though? The pigtailed prodigy tried to find the rage she felt before toward the lost teen; she couldn't help but return to that moment where their souls were one though.
Walking out of the dining room area he went over to the stairs, eyes shut as she tried to maintain a clear mind. Ranma had found herself so used to the Tendo homestead that she could travel without looking.
What was it that they had gone through? All Ranma knew was that she didn't feel right and by being away from Ryoga that sensation became even more unbearable. What could she do though? The idea of kissing Ryoga again repulsed Ranma! Though, at the same time, it intrigued her.
Normally Ranma wouldn't be opposed to the idea of using her feminine charms to woo her enemies because it could gain the redhead some sort of advantage she could use in battle, what was there to gain here but a new sexuality and experience as his supposed hated girl form?
"I need to relax, I ain't letting some stupid life-changing experience…" Ranma's voice trailed as she ascended the stairs to the second floor, slowing down as she neared the end of her sentence.
The instance in which their souls were merging in the infinite cosmos came back in her head, remembering how they had swirled into one another. How their thoughts merged into one, how she could now understand a huge portion of what made Ryoga who he is, images of a younger than she knew Ryoga flashed over her mind's eye.
About halfway up the stairs she stopped to let those thoughts and feelings ruminate.
Ranma remembered all the sensations they experienced as they eventually reached the point where they met again. At first, it was nothing but two middle schoolers having beef over some bread.
Though as things progressed between them, they eventually reached the point where they had become more than two men fighting over a girl. Ranma and Ryoga had gained something closely resembling a friendship.
She was a man amongst men! Yet, she gets taken over by some magical butterflies from over nine hundred years ago and now he's confused about his feelings towards his rival?
"Like hell am I gonna' let some ancient pests tell me who to-" Ranma muttered as she thought about how the butterflies had been extracted from their beings.
Though the thought of this being more than an after effect elevated the terror in her heart so much so that her eyes widened, trembling as she tried to fight off the tightening in her chest by placing her hand over it, the corner of her mouth twitching.
"I need some air, yeah, maybe that's what I need, maybe stop by Ukyo's place for some free food on the way?" Ranma asked herself aloud, looking at her dresser with a stressed out tone before pulling out her trademark short sleeved red Chinese silk shirt from it.
Ranma was thankful for the chestnut fist, the annoyed cursed girl proceeded to walk down the stairs, with her eyes closed she breathed calmly and repeatedly, keeping her mind clear as she descended the stairs and prepared to get something to eat before figuring out a way to deal with her problem.
"Ranma!" Nodoka's voice called out to the pigtailed teen.
Ranma froze in place, resembling a stone statue of herself, she relaxed her posture and looked over her shoulder before stuffing her hands into her pants pockets. "Y-yeah? Mom?"
"Where are you going? Would you mind some company?" Nodoka inquired as she held a washcloth to dry her hands, a handkerchief wrapped above her head.
Like a slowly turning rusted gear Ranma turned around with her eyes wide and her mouth very slightly agape, immediately the image of her kissing Ryoga as a girl last night replaying in her head.
"Nah. I'm good, Mom." Ranma tried to decline, lifting a dismissive hand before turning around.
"Oh! Come now dear! We've had so little time together since the wedding!" Nodoka pleaded as she had somehow wrapped so that she was standing in front of Ranma.
"Well, I figured you're busy and all I don't wanna' take you away from…" Ranma tried to deflect, not that he hadn't agreed either but having an odd feeling towards his manly loving Mom might think twice about sparing her if it turned out she was having strange thoughts when it came to his rival slash now accidentally deeply connected friend.
"Oh! It's fine really. You two should go spend some quality time together!" Kasumi chimed in from the kitchen, her voice cheerfully bouncing off the walls like the bubbly person she is.
"Shouldn't you catch up with Pops and all? I mean you've been apart this long and all!" Ranma desperately wanted to reason, given any other moment Ranma would have gladly spend time with her Mom but what would Ranma do if she ended up kissing Ryoga again like she had the night before? The pigtailed teen was at least thankful that Ryoga was nowhere in sight since they parted the night prior.
"Honestly, I'm still quite upset at your Father for everything he's put me through, I mean, I've missed out on so much of your life as is…" Nodoka explained, her head casted downward as her hair cast a shadow of misery over her eyes.
"I'm sorry Mooommmmm!" Ranma exclaimed loudly as she jumped onto a nearby fence and ran along it.
Nodoka blinked before heading off after Ranma. Unbeknownst to her though, she had a blue haired audience member hiding behind a corner as she wore a white scarf wrapped above her head and sunglasses.
"Mrs. Saotome sure is fast…" Akane remarked as she watched Nodoka seemingly vanish behind the nearest corner.
Familiarity guided Ranma's direction as she ran with his eyes closed tightly, tears leaking at the corner of her eyes while she escaped her Mother's sight.
"Oh! Sweetie! You're crying!" Nodoka exclaimed as she was at the end of the block Ranma was coming too, watching her as she leaped above her head and onto the following block.
Ranma's eyes widened as her pupils trembled in terror, did she just see her own Mother ahead of her despite the pigtailed prodigy making a full running sprint? She immediately figured she was seeing things and shut her eyes, just for the redhead to be greeted by the same sight as she saw her Mom patiently waiting on the other end of her current block, though by the time she had opened her eyes she was within speaking distance.
"Are you alright?" She inquired as she tilted her head to one side, hands clasped together as she stood in between the two blocks Ranma was jumping over.
Looking as though she had seen a ghost, Ranma leaned back in freight, like a cat jumping back in fear, her hands warding evil before she leapt onto the top of someone's rooftop before continuously leaping onto others.
Ranma now knew exactly where she got her speed from, it certainly wasn't from her Dad she thought as she tried to run away from talking about her problems. Relaxing Ranma landed in between an intersecting four way alleyway before she sighed and wiped her brow.
"That's gotta be enough," Ranma remarked as he put his hands in his pockets and opened his eyes.
"Are you ready to talk now?" The Mother of the Saotome's inquired cheerfully as she closed her eyes.
In that moment, Ranma's eyes remained frozen in time as she realized how hopeless it was to escape her Mother.
"I'm fine! Really!" Ranma defended as she leaned back, holding her hands out for Nodoka to stop persisting.
"Does this have anything to do with what happened yesterday?" Nodoka asked, blinking.
"Huh!? Whadda do you mean?" Ranma asked nervously, standing at attention with her lips pursed tightly, wondering how much Nodoka knew.
"Last night you seemed anxious and worried about something," Nodoka said her observation but did so in a motherly and encouraging way.
Ranma's brain scrambled for anything to say or do to get out of this, because if she answered her Mom honestly…
Yesterday…
Nodoka stood near the front door, smiling as she wanted to greet Ranma but instead of seeing her go through the front door she heard the sound of Ranma running back inside in his girl form, going through her own window before Nodoka could turn around.
Immediately after that she remembered still trying to greet Ranma as she went back inside, only to see her running down stairs. "Ranma!" Nodoka called out as Ranma had lowered her head to cast a shadow over her eyes.
"Can't talk, need, bath…" The redhead answered plainly and emotionlessly, clearly showing something had been wrong.
Ranma remembered shortly after that thoroughly brushing her teeth then rinsing with some mouthwash, immediately after she took the time to prepare a hot bath before jumping in. This was usually her routine, sadly during which Ranma was angry and blushing deeply. The only thought in her mind was that she needed to change back into a guy, even sighing thinking that maybe now that he wasn't a girl he'd no longer have to deal with those weird thoughts about the Lost Boy.
Thoughts of their mental journey flowed through his mind's eye, though, he envisioned his female self instead of his male self since the memory was specific to his curse. Their dance in its nature spoke to him, made him feel that giddy and nervous feeling he got whenever Akane and him would almost commit to something romantic. Even though he sat in warm water, his face shivered, he couldn't escape that look on the ethereal Ryoga as something new had awoken from the depths of his mind, before they had swirled into the one complete being they had become.
They were kissing deeply and passionately before melding together into a giant orb of light.
"Dammit… dammit…dammit…!" Ranma first grumbled, then spoke normally, then finally he slammed his fist into the water with a shout, unintentionally hitting it hard enough to make a loud splash, his hair and pigtail became damp and heavy, his soaked bangs covering his eyes as he sat there motionlessly as Ranma recalled how good it felt to be kissed so affectionately and so invigoratingly.
"This is worse, I need to change back…" Ranma's voice trailed as he made his way out of the tub.
"Well, how much do ya know?" Ranma inquired as she scratched her cheek with an index finger.
"Nothing much really, I tried asking Akane what had happened but she said that it was just another one of those fights having gone wrong…" Her voice trailed, remembering how vague the blue haired Tendo had been.
"It was just another whacky suitor of Ranma's getting in the way of his fight with some magic item! It's really bugging Ranma so he just needs some space !"
"She's right, I was just really ticked about what happened," Ranma half admitted, averting her eyes.
"Maybe talking about it could help?" Nodoka inquired, her eyes glistening with tears as she clearly wanted to do her job as a Mother.
"I don't know about that Mom, this ain't something I wanna' talk about, I wanna' forget it if I'm being real honest…" Ranma answered with a trailing voice.
"You look troubled dear, are you sure?" Nodoka's gaze reminded Ranma of all those times she'd see her Mother longing to be reunited with her only son, the times when she had known her as Ranko.
"I-I'm sure–" Ranma began then turned so her back was facing her.
"Whatever it is, I'm sure I can offer you some advice." Nodoka advised as she hugged Ranma from behind, one arm around the redhead's torso while the other was on her head looking as Nodoka might pat the pigtailed girl on the head.
There were so few things Ranma was certain about now and this moment was one of those where the conflicted teen still had to wonder if being totally honest would be a good idea. The redhead had always wanted to speak to her Mom about things like hardships, the questions to life Genma either didn't care to answer or was such a dedicated martial artist that he found stuff beyond the arts to be meaningless.
Though, why did it have to be for something like this? He managed to skirt by his mother as Ranko but how much of that could he really be certain about? Ranma remembered that if she had been a thief who steals women's clothing her Mother would have outright cut off her pretty little head, 'I just gotta' find a way to put it in a way where I don't go losing my head,' she pondered hesitantly.
"Anything? I ain't too sure about that…" Ranma answered after longer than he would have liked, still weighing whether or not he should tell her more.
"Ranma, I'm sure it's nothing bad to hide, and besides we've already gotten through the fact that you can change into a girl you don't need to worry about anything anymore!" Nodoka expressed softly and warmly.
"I don't even know what to think about what happened…" Ranma's voice trailed rather lowly.
"If it makes you feel any better I didn't bring my katana! See!" His Mother made this known then lifted both hands to reveal that neither hand held her sword, taking a few steps back so her son could see.
Most certainly thankful for that fact but still aware that she had seen it a few other times Ranma still remained on high alert. Still the bewitched redhead really wanted to talk to someone about this.
"I mean it's not like you haven't already proven yourself to be a real man anyway!" She added before Ranma could reply.
There it was, the sudden feeling of despair that lingered now made itself known again. Ranma was supposed to be a man amongst men! The heir to finally have her Mother as a part of her life, yet again, the teen had to hide something from the woman who brought him into this world. She feigned a smile to show her that she at the very least appreciated the effort.
"Guess I might as well, might even be doing me a favor…" Ranma's fake smile drifted into a real one, though, not the kind of smile that showed any elation or nostalgia but one of defeat.
"Something happened during my fight with my sorta friend Ryoga, Shampoo, that Chinese Amazon I told ya about before decided it was a good idea to butt in on our fight…" Ranma began his tale.
Nodoka's eyes widened in wonder as she for the first time in the longest time felt like a Mother, she was going to be there for her son no matter what!
"It let something out, two butterflies, except these weren't your run of the mill Butterflies they were all magical and junk…" Ranma's determination began to fade, seemingly trailing off into nothingness.
The Saotome patriarch waited silently, watching as her son lost steam only to replace it with a wide eyed look with furiously blushing cheeks. This peaked her interest but for what reason she wanted to wait and see, though the look hadn't escaped her watchful eyes.
"Well, since he didn't take getting interrupted with a bike tire to the back of the head too kindly, he sent her flying for a little, Ryoga didn't stop our fight and when we weren't looking those freaky pests ended up on our shoulders and like ghosts or something went inside of us, before we knew it we didn't feel like fighting anymore didn't really seem to care that we'd just gotten possessed either." Ranma continued cautiously, making sure to carefully choose her words by speaking slower than normal.
"So you two set your differences aside? That sounds like just two good friends now," Nodoka guessed at what Ranma was getting at, blinking with a confused look.
"Guess you could say that, well, we got to talking and whenever I wanted to reason what was going on instead of you know finding a way to get rid of those bugs, we decided to hang out and even cleared the air about something Ryoga didn't get before," Ranma explained further though slowed down as her mind reminded her of that moment where Ranma as a girl said she'd go out with the Lost Boy if she were actually a girl, 'Then I had to go and say a stupid thing like that, gonna leave that part out,' Ranma thought to himself, mentally scolding herself for her possessed prior self.
"So what is it that's got you so distant today, Ranma?" Nodoka inquired, from what she was hearing there didn't seem to be enough to warrant these actions, 'I wonder if there's something Ranma's not saying, best that I hear him out first, perhaps it'll become clear later,' the traditional Mother figure thinks to herself with a slight furrowing of her brow.
"W-well, after we hung out, I had to make sure to get back home and before I knew it he stopped me from leaving, I was gonna' ask what gives but after that I think the bugs took over and-and we-we–hugged!" Ranma's brain scattered for any less incriminating alternative, she only prayed this wouldn't ruin the manly image she had built for her Mother.
"I don't see why that's so bad but I imagine since you were both fighting earlier than that it must have been so out of the blue for you…" She speculated, placing her index finger to her bottom lip, eyes upward as she blinked a few times.
"Yeah! Real damn' embarrassing that's for sure!" Ranma defends with lightly dusted cheeks, shutting her eyes, unable to maintain eye contact as the pretty cursed girl fights off the actual visual of that event.
"So you two were just standing there, hugging? As boys I take it?" Nodoka crossed her one free hand across her chest, tilting her head to one side.
"Not exactly, ya see before we met up, Akane got fed up with all these suitors Pops conned on the way and I let her know that it's not like I like what he's done either and how I couldn't get how so many other guys could all be so obsessed with a girl like her!"
"Oh Ranma, I'm guessing you pushed her buttons again, were you walking by the ditch fence, I take it?" Nodoka asked, getting Ranma to confirm by averting her eyes and nodding.
Now came the trickiest part for Ranma, she'd sold her on a lie, one now she had to make sure to remember.
"Yeah, from what Kane and Shamps told me, we were just standing there hugging b-but the two ghost butterflies were still visible between Ryoga and myself before she got rid of them…" Ranma elaborated and breathed a deep mental breath, relaxing his posture subtly as she thanked whatever cosmic force allowed her to tell this half-truth story safely enough.
"So this is what's been bothering you, I guess I can see why you'd want to be alone," Nodoka had to admit to herself, she had never had something like that happen to her personally but she could imagine why Ranma would maybe need some time to process what she had just experienced.
"Yeah, talking about it helped though." Ranma said suddenly, looking a lot less tense than a few seconds ago.
"Has talking about this helped you find any sort of solution?" Nodoka hoped as she closed her eyes in glee, clasping her hands together.
"Come to think of it…" Ranma muttered and sighed. "I was planning on asking Ukyo for some advice and maybe something to eat but now I'm thinking even if I did all I would have ended up doing was scoring some free food before getting up and realizing I should just go see that old crone at the Neko Hanten."
"Is there something wrong still, dear?" Nodoka questioned, placing her hand on Ranma's forehead then comparing her own forehead with her other hand.
"It's complicated Mom but I promise it won't get worse, just trust me for now…" Ranma answered her calmly, grabbing his Mother's hand before guiding it down and letting go.
"Alright. I'll trust you for now Ranma," Nodoka spoke gently and offered a small smile, all in due time she supposed. "Instead of getting a free meal, how about I just buy you something, my treat!" She offered as she clasped her hands together.
"Come on then, maybe we can get something to eat at the Neko Hanten?" Ranma asked as the transformed teen led the way.
Running yourself ragged is often seen as a bad idea, not in Ryoga case it wasn't. At least to him it wasn't, to him, he had to do this! He couldn't risk another encounter with Ranma! There was too much on the line! He had Akari and Akane to worry about! Ranma's words from yesterday taunted him. He hadn't wanted to add Ranma into his confusion between Akane and Akari! This whole situation between him and Ranma was out of control and Ryoga was determined to do as he had always done when he couldn't solve his problems with violence or to protect those in need; he ran as far as he could.
Be it day or night, little mattered to him anymore, he didn't want this, he wanted to go back in time to the day before where his victory over Ranma felt assured.
He tried to focus on the road ahead of him, closing his eyes.
"Is Akane really all that great?" The voice in the back of Ryoga's head said.
"She's nice to me! Sure she can't cuddle!" Ryoga exclaimed as he opened his eyes, seeing that he was in what he assumed to be either a large park with lush dense greenery or a forest.
"She hits me in her sleep," It continued.
"T-that's just one of her quirks is all!" Ryoga answered in order to reassure said voice, opening his eyes to see that he was in London.
"She can't cook no matter how much I tell myself I like it!" The voice took on Ryoga's voice instead of just existing as words in his head.
"She's great at other things! She's caring!"Ryoga opened his eyes to a place he had never seen before, all he could tell was that it was brisk and some men with plaid kilts stood around with bagpipes.
"Imagine how useful caring will be when your kids with Akane can't swim and fall into a river, becoming P-chan would be your best bet…" The inner voice seemed to lose steam as it grew a little morbid.
"It'd work out somehow! I just know it!" Ryoga exclaimed as he closed his eyes tightly yet again, he didn't have an argument and refused to open his eyes for a while, hoping and praying that the storm in his head would settle.
He didn't know how long he had been running with his eyes closed, he was only thankful that he crashed through two solid concrete walls instead of the usual five. Going until he seriously needed a breath he heaved heavily before leaning over and supporting himself on a wall.
His vision blurred as he smiled, for all around him were Chinese characters and he swore he could even hear someone speaking in Mandarin nearby. He had done it, he couldn't even think if he wanted to, because he was about to pass out and hopefully wake up without getting robbed… again.
The voices became faint and incoherent, Ryoga's smile appeared content like he had finally found some peace.
"Ryoga…! Hey! Are you okay?" A gentle voice called out to him.
"Ugh… I know that voice…" Ryoga muttered as he stirred. "Couldn't be Akari though, what would she be doing in China?" He scoffed with his eyes closed.
"China? We're outside the Neko Hanten, Ryoga." Akari clarified as she helped Ryoga up by taking his hand.
Both grunted a little, Akari from how heavy a muscular guy like Ryoga must have been and Ryoga from being tired.
"Eh!?" Ryoga's mouth went agape as he registered what was said to him, his eyes opening in shock as he looked around more clearly and noticed that he was indeed in Nerima again.
"Is there something wrong? What did you of all people run away from for so long that you'd be this worn out?" Akari inquired as she looked at The Lost Boy as he closed his eyes and looked off to the side before away from her.
In truth he was looking away not because he felt guilty but annoyed at the fact that he had been doing his best to stay away from Ranma and the place he ends up in is the very same one he's trying to avoid!
"Then there's Akari, where do I even start with her?" Ryoga's inner turmoil reared its ugly from the depths of his mind again.
Ryoga's eyes widened as his heart nearly stopped when he heard his inner voice again, going on auto-pilot he let whatever came out take the wheel. "I-I'm fine! I was running from a pride of lions and guess I haven't stopped since!" Ryoga explained as the bag under his eyes made it clear that he was tired, he still decided to stand on his own.
"Oh," Akari said, then blinked twice before clasping her hands together. "That makes sense when it comes to you."
"So what brings you here of all places?" Ryoga asked, looking off to the side as he had calmed down now.
"Well, I heard about this place and wanted to see if it'd make a good date spot for us so I came to try it myself but…" Akari's voice trailed as she saw this as an opportunity.
"But…?" Ryoga questioned as he raised a brow.
"Since you're here now and all, want to come inside for a date?" Akari asked as she looked down bashfully, tapping the tips of her fingers together.
" C-course!" Ryoga answered with a smile, glad for the distraction more than actually being asked out.
"Good, I was about to force you to leave but we suddenly got busy…" Cologne' said, making herself known as she stood at the front of her building.
"H-How long have you been there?" Ryoga asked, realizing he hadn't noticed the Amazonian Elder.
"Shortly after this young lady," Cologne remarked as she then hopped on her cane to turn around and open the door to the Neko Haten.
"Hey! Wait! I've got some questions!" Ryoga tried to stop her.
"Order first, besides aren't you trying this place out for your date?" Cologne looked over her shoulder and smirked.
"I guess you have a point and on top of that…" He grabbed his stomach, leaning over from the pain of hunger as it growled.
"Perfect timing!" Akari said, reaching over and taking Ryoga's hand.
Inside the Neko Haten was Mousse working the kitchen, acting as a stand-in for Cologne no doubt. Shampoo was busy serving orders, hearing the little bell going off near the door before looking towards the new guests to greet them only to see it was her Great Grandmother, some girl and Ryoga.
Immediately Shampoo remembered the other day when she saw Ryoga's face. Though that anger remained she stayed mindful of the fact that although Ryoga was there it looked like he was more or less back to normal and with another girl at that.
"Great Grandmother?" Shampoo inquired as she finished placing a cup from her tray onto the table in front of her.
"Shampoo, take their orders while I check on something," Cologne remarked as she went through the kitchen and into her home, going to her room before spotting the bug cage with the two legendary butterflies.
"They're still here but it seems one of them is glowing, interesting…" Cologne's trailing voice muttered as she noticed that the two insect troublemakers were still in their same spot, the only difference was save for a tiny halo of light surrounding the male butterfly.
"Perhaps he's here for something else? The child even has a girlfriend and–" She began but then squinted her eyes as the female butterfly seemed to move as those it had been awake, she joined the male one and figured a halo too was stylish.
"What the?" The Aged Warrior narrowed her eyes. "Could it be that they respond to…" Cologne ruminated on her thoughts.
Outside the Neko Hanten…
"And that's how Shampoo ended up finding me in Japan," Ranma said as she had been explaining the situation.
"So there's no real love involved, it's just whichever foreigner beats them in a fight if they're male they'll try to marry them if female they vow to kill them?" Nodoka openly pondered as she looked up, making a somewhat disgruntled face.
"Yeah, if that wasn't bad enough she was my first kiss…" Ranma admitted then looked off to the side as she remembered Mikado though she'd rather forget that creep all together.
"Here we are," Ranma muttered as she put her hands behind her head.
"Allow me," Nodoka said as she went over to the front of the Neko Hanten before opening the door.
"Nihao! Welcome to Cat Cafe!" Shampoo exclaimed with her eyes closed as she looked over her shoulder, handing Mousse a list of orders.
"Where's Cologne?" Ranma inquired then out of the corner of her eyes she saw Ryoga sitting with Akari across the room.
"What the hell are you doing here!?" They both asked each other at the same time, Ryoga coming to a stand.
"Looking for answers, that's what!" They both said at the same time again, pointing at each other.
"Ranma!" Shampoo hadn't waited long before she attempted to change Ranma back into a guy with a tea kettle filled with warm water.
However, instead of allowing it to land, Ranma leaned back and warded evil with her hands.
"Why you no let Shampoo change you back to man?" Shampoo questioned, surprised as she held the kettle.
"Not now!" Ranma exclaimed as she looked back at Ryoga and blushed before looking away in a huff quickly enough to flick her pigtail.
"Shampoo! Is that Ranma I hear?" Cologne exclaimed as she was heard hopping downstairs before appearing just outside the kitchen.
What she witnessed was Ranma looking away from Ryoga but looking in Cologne's direction as a result. Ryoga, who had still been pointing, had his hand slowly dropping to his side.
"Here for same reason as Ryoga!" Shampoo answered, still a little stunned that Ranma didn't just allow her to change him back to what she thought was Ranma's preferred state.
"Guess this has got something to do with yesterday," Mousse remarked but was also glad that Shampoo couldn't seem to get close enough to Ranma.
"What happened yesterday?" Akari was the first to ask, then looked at Ranma and Ryoga.
"Ryoga, isn't he that friend of yours you hugged?" Nodoka inquired as she remembered Ranma mentioned that awkward hug between her son and possibly this yellow-clad fellow.
"H-hugged?" Ryoga pondered it for a second, thankfully he didn't miss a beat this time and realized that it was a cover for Ranma in order to keep Nodoka from beheading the redhead.
Shampoo pouted as she'd rather not say what happened yesterday, since she wanted to be the one Ranma had kissed. Mousse had no idea as Shampoo hadn't wanted to talk about it to him. Akari just seemed flat out confused and looking towards Ryoga for answers.
Cologne on the other hand looked between Ranma and Ryoga then finally at Nodoka, "Yes well, I'm guessing you'd like some answers for that 'hug' what I don't know is exactly what so you two will have to enlighten me…" Cologne's voice trailed as she hopped down from her cane, shoving her arms into her sleeves.
"Yeah, I can see things like memories but they're not mine!" Ryoga exclaimed glad that he had kept that as vague as possible.
"Same here! So what gives!?" Ranma questioned as she took a step closer to Cologne.
"Ranma!" Akane exclaimed, barging into the Neko Hanten as she looked around and was glad to see that all seemed fine.
"Hey there, Akane!" Akari greeted with a wave of her hand.
"Akane!?" Ranma and Ryoga questioned, something which caused them to glare at each other and then both back at the suspicious Tendo.
"Weren't you supposed to be heading to Osaka today Akane? I remember how excited you've been about it all week!" Nodoka reminded her, blown away, that she'd miss a chance just to follow her and Ranma.
"I was worried about yesterday's whole 'hug' incident so I ended up cancelling my trip! I wanted to make sure everything was alright!" Akane explained while waving back at Akari but at the same time revealing that she had been eavesdropping before she went inside.
"Again. Why's it an incident?" Akari questioned as she placed her index finger to her bottom lip.
Shampoo looked between Nodoka and then moved closer to Ranma before leaning in closer to mutter, "Why they talking about k-" She got as far as saying as she saw Ranma's hand over her mouth, eyes widening when she looked at her Ranma, hand over her mouth telling her before she looked to see that her Mom was busy before looking back into Shampoo's eyes.
"If she finds out what really happened I'll lose my head, so zip it!" Ranma whispered in a very low voice and as quickly as the redhead could, putting her hand back down before Nodoka could see.
"Before we go any further! For the record I was possessed so it wasn't like I h-hugged the guy for no reason! It's just s-something happened, something that's hard to put into words," Ranma explained looking at Ryoga, doing her best to maintain a stony face but relaxed it into a softer more understanding one.
"Much as I hate to say it, same here, s-something happened and if I had to say anything about it, it's like, like I know too much about Ranma like I've experienced what it's like to be him, hell, I think I'm kind of terrified of cats now because of Ranma…" Ryoga explained, avoiding what actually happened and also what happened after the fact.
Cologne stood there doing her best, doing her best to try and phrase all this without revealing that Ranma had done something as unmanly as kissing a man. "Well, you see when certain people fall under the affects of the Butterflies a very select few are given a spiritual experience, though the condition for this is so specific that it's only ever happened about twice and even then it's merely a hunch given how little times they've escaped these past thirteen hundred years…" Cologne said, though she was old, all she had was knowledge of incidents before her time.
"So some spirit butterflies possessed Ranma and Ryoga to hug and have a magical experience? So do you two feel like you've lived as the other?" Akari questioned but more to herself to which she then looked to Ryoga for her answer to which he looked off to the side biting his lips before confirming and nodding his head.
"Sounds like you two have a very special kind of bond now," Akane remarked as clasped her hands together, she hadn't known about that experience they were mentioning but it sounded so romantic to her.
"Oh! So it's something like that! I take it Ranma hates eating pork now?" Akari took a guess but missed the deeper point.
"Akane, they didn't mean to and I'm sure they haven't done anything else since," Nodoka assured, placing a comforting hand on the blue haired Tendo's shoulder.
"Akane! I-It ain't like that! It's more like-like!" Ranma tried to add to Akane's comfort.
"They're just like childhood friends now!" Akari clarified her version of the events, which thankfully was helping cover Ranma and Ryoga's tracks.
"Y-yeah! And maybe we can fix this by-by making the Butterflies go into me and you Akane!" Ranma suggested in hopes of solving the situation.
"Shampoo think that bad idea!" Shampoo denied as she crossed her arms over her chest and shook her head.
"I'd warn against it! If what you're saying is true then that would mean potentially forging a bond between all three of you!" Cologne stated when she saw that Shampoo was about to interfere.
Now that Ranma thought about it, did she want a second bond like this? It was hard enough organizing her thoughts as they were now! Throwing Akane into the mess would only make things worse.
"Then what are we supposed to do?" Ryoga asked as he looked at Akane, then settled his gaze on Ranma.
"Nothing, they've been removed from your bodies, I doubt you've been indulging in any post-possession 'hugging' of sorts so it's best just to accept what's happened and move on…" Cologne answered while looking up, 'The fact that the butterflies are now both glowing has me worried, just as long as they haven't-' the wise Elder thought only to be unable to finish.
"What would happen if they had?" Akari asked as she blinked about twice.
"Then they would delay the fact they have to get over what they went through, though that would also mean they're compatible as er… friends…" Cologne answered before needing to remind herself to keep it non-romantic.
"Thank goodness for that right!" Akari remarked as she looked at Ryoga.
Try as they might, neither Ranma nor Ryoga could hold back the surge of emotion they felt whenever they remembered their second kiss. Instead of answering her with their words, they nodded in agreement, both entirely unaware of how coordinated their movements were.
The other three women in the area blinked as they noticed what Cologne said exactly, hadn't the situation already made them friends? Hell, even best friends? Though neither voiced it, it all seemed so redundant to them.
"Hey wait! We never settled our fight from yesterday!" Ranma tried to change the subject, holding out a clenched fist with an uncertain look.
"I-I'm on a date right now! T-That can wait!" Ryoga spoke calmly but firmly, blushing a little as he looked at Akari.
"Works for me, we were gonna' get something to eat anyways," Ranma remarked before crossing her arms and looking away, a slight blush on her face.
"Would you care to join us, Akane?" Nodoka said as she then looked at Cologne.
"If it wouldn't be a bother!" The youngest of the Tendos accepted the offer.
"What'll you have?" Cologne took a notepad.
Ryoga, feeling like he had dodged a bullet, sighed and sat down, he then looked at Akari as she had a smile on her face.
"Order up!" Mousse hollered as he set out Ryoga and Akari's orders.
Shampoo immediately went to go get it and serve the two supposed lovers. Akane, Nodoka, and Ranma all took a seats. Their waitress finished serving Akari and Ryoga then went to flirt with Ranma and then ask for their order.
Annoyingly Ranma kept stealing glances at Ryoga and Akari, she saw them making eye contact for a little and pouted. Ryoga had noticed though and raised a quizzical brow at his enemy. He then looked back to Akari and saw her picking up her chopsticks and then she held it out to him.
Ranma watched as though she were a girlfriend being cheated on, her mouth went agape and her face miserable.
"Ranma?" Nodoka asked, shaking the redhead's shoulder.
"Is something up?" Akane questioned slowly, trying to piece together what was happening.
"I'm fine, quit worrying," Ranma answered plainly and sighed.
"Really for me?" Ryoga asked, blushing as he pointed to himself to which Akari bashfully nodded her head as she waited for him to open his mouth.
"Open wide," Akari said with a slight sing-song voice.
Ranma watched in dismay, doing her best to look away and maintain composure, 'I couldn't help what happened but if the old crow's right then I got to get used to not thinking about him, even if that was the best kiss I've ever had too,' she thought to herself, trying to find comfort in the fact that this was something they could just get over but unable to stop the blush that followed her thoughts.
"So are you going to fight Ryoga after he eats?" Akane decided to ask as she looked at Ranma with uncertainty.
"Gotta, cause if I don't then who knows how long it'll be before we can fight again," Ranma explained then peaked at Ryoga again at the corner of her eye.
"Well, maybe it's not like that, maybe that bonding is allowing Ryoga to keep finding his way back here so perhaps it'd be better to wait though I think it's rather manly of you to want to settle the score Ranma dear," Nodoka said, sounding proud as she closed her eyes and smiled warmly.
"Is that smart Ranma? Don't you think it'd be a better idea to wait?" Akane suggested.
"He was keeping up with me the last time we fought Akane, I know I could've taken him if I had more time…" Ranma turned to look at Ryoga and saw that he was about to return the favor and feed Akari.
Ryoga hadn't felt this good in awhile, though as he was about to feed his girlfriend his mind made him see Ranma's girl form instead. His face froze as he then shook his head and focused enough to feed her.
"Thank you, Ryoga…" Akari said as she opened her eyes and looked into Ryoga's.
"N-no problem, A-Akari…" Ryoga answered, his voice trailing as he rubbed the back of his neck before eating from his plate.
"I don't care, I don't care…" Ranma repeated to herself quietly.
"Don't care about what, Ranma?" Akane asked, following Ranma's line of sight she saw that Ranma was being this way over Akari and Ryoga being on a date.
"You've been on edge, was it that awkward a hug dear?" Nodoka inquired.
"I don't care about the hug! I don't care about anything related to that pig!" Ranma exclaimed more to convince herself as she closed her eyes and placed her hands to her ears.
"Who are you calling a pig!?" Ryoga exclaimed as he stood up.
"I ain't calling ya for breakfast!" Ranma countered mockingly, crossing her arms and sticking out her tongue.
"So sassy is Ranma!" Shampoo declared as she came with their orders and began serving everyone at the frizzled redhead's table.
"It's okay Ryoga, I think it's great that he can compare you to a pig!" Akari said before smiling warmly with her eyes closed.
"Ranma never means it as a compliment," Ryoga growled and sat back down, annoyed that he needed to eat so he sucked it up for now and ate with a disgruntled look.
"You shouldn't egg him on, I get you're both competitive Ranma but let him eat in peace for now," Nodoka advised as she held a finger up for Ranma to understand.
"Honestly you can be so thick-headed Ranma," Akane remarked as she split her chopsticks.
Making a tsk sound Ranma rolled her eyes before taking her own chopsticks and seeing her Ramen bowl was packed to the brim with extra servings, Ranma looked up to see Shampoo winking at her before rushing off to go take more orders.
Nodoka followed Ranma's example and split her chopsticks, the three began eating.
Ranma couldn't help but sneak peeks at the corners of her eyes to see Ryoga eating while having a glazed look in his eyes 'Is Ryoga okay? He's got that vacant look in his eyes like he ain't too into what Akari is talking about,' the cursed girl thought.
"So," Akari began, her voice filled with enthusiasm, "I've been working on a new training regimen for the pigs! You wouldn't believe how complicated it is to get the right balance of muscle tone, diets, and exercise for sumo competitions!"
Ryoga looked off to the side, offering a nervous chuckle. "Oh… yeah? That, uh… sounds interesting."
Ranma found herself mirroring Ryoga's interest levels and almost felt bad for the guy, but she shrugged it off and kept eating.
A few moments later…
The couple sighed as they finished their green tea before putting her cups down, next to their empty bowls and plates. The same could be said about Akane, Ranma and Nodoka.
"Not bad Shampoo," Ranma complimented the purple-haired Amazonian with her eyes closed.
"Shampoo make with love, Airen!" Shampoo admitted with a slight blush as she closed her eyes, placing a closed hand over her mouth.
"So what do you think of this place, Ryoga?" Akari asked as she looked at Ryoga with a smile.
"I like it," Ryoga replied warmly, 'Long as I'm not thinking about Ranma,' he thought.
"Yo Ryoga, now that we've both eaten, don't you think it's time we settled the score?" Ranma inquired as she put her chopsticks down.
"Akari, would you mind if I dealt with Ranma?" Ryoga inquired with a sigh, 'Ranma's got no off switch, I swear…' Ryoga thinks.
"It's alright, afterwards, maybe we can continue our date at your place?" Akari asked as she clasped her hands together, a vision of herself cooking in an apron flashing in her mind.
"Would you two quit flirting already!?" Ranma demanded with a shout, before turning around and cramming her hands in her pants pockets.
"Jealous, much?" Ryoga scoffed with a slight smile as he stood and slapped a tip on the table.
"Why would I be jealous of Akari–I mean you!" Ranma's eyes widened as she had meant to say why she'd be jealous of Ryoga, correcting herself after getting awkward stares.
"W-Whatever. Let's get this over with!" Ryoga shouted suddenly, blushing lightly as he swore this slip-up was just an after-effect of the butterfly possessions.
"Let's take this outside," Ranma huffed, walking with her head slightly tilted.
Wordlessly Ryoga followed her outside, the others did so too, all except Mousse who was forced to stay and watch the shop. After a while of walking Ranma had led them to the park near the center of a baseball field.
Both Ranma and Ryoga took opposite sides, behind Ranma was Akane and Nodoka and Shampoo. On Ryoga's side were Akari and Cologne.
Akane looked exhausted at the whole situation but she figured boys would be boys in this case, still, she couldn't shake a sneaking suspicion about Ranma and Ryoga, 'I know they kissed but they couldn't have, no, that's crazy, Ranma isn't into…' She dared to fathom something she was uncomfortable with.
Nodoka on the other hand was excited to see how this would turn out, though for some reason her mind took her back to that moment where Ranma said she wasn't jealous of Akari. The various instances of the supposed 'hug' led to some awkward or suspicious expressions on her manly son, causing her to open her eyes wide in shock and leave her mouth hanging agape, 'I-I'm overthinking this, maybe that Neko Hanten wasn't as good as I thought if it'd make me think my son could be!' she relaxed once she had thoroughly convinced herself.
"Wipe floor with him, Ranma!" Shampoo cheered, waving a hand at Ranma with her eyes closed.
The wind howled gently as both Ryoga and Ranma took their proper stances, although Ryoga's hands began to glow green and appeared as if a small but powerful ember beneath his wrists spread out to engulf his fists.
"Whoa! That's new!" Akane remarked.
"Ryoga looks so manly!" Nodoka commented as she clasped both her hands together.
"I call this the Shishi-ken!" Ryoga clarified, narrowing his eyes dangerously. "Now let's see if you can handle it, Saotome…" The Lost Boy's voice trailed as he instead decided to be bold and walk over to Ranma with his hands down to his side
"I always find a way, just you watch!" Ranma answered, narrowing her eyes with a smug smile, 'Guy's getting cocky if he's moving in with his guard down,' Ranma pondered before immediately starting with a flurry of kicks after two spinning kicks dodged by Ryoga taking two quick steps back before going back in except this time moving quickly enough that Ranma was forced to defend herself by using her forearms crossed over her chest.
"Dammit!" Ranma cursed, not having a choice but to come out of the gate swinging with her chestnut fist.
For Ranma she had been used to moving her hands at these speeds, however, she could tell Ryoga knew her style better now so it felt like she was fighting a mirror version of herself but stronger physically.
Ryoga's face was focused and in control, whereas Ranma's appeared intensely concentrated. They'd kick, punch, spin kick, roundhouse, even their feints were met and anticipated by the other.
"Is Shampoo or they moving faster?" Shampoo inquired as her eyes had to keep darting between Ranma and Ryoga.
"It's not just Ryoga's hands but now he's throwing kicks and everything too," Akane commented as she saw Ranma's kick send Ryoga skidding back as he blocked it with his forearm.
"Ha!" Ranma roared as she went back into the fray, this time jump-kicking and then propelling herself off Ryoga's forearm in annoyance.
"Why Ranma no use Hiryu Shoten Ha?" Shampoo inquired watching the raw display of power coming from Ranma and Ryoga.
"She's trying but Ryoga is aware of what the spiral is and always cuts it off before it can be chained," Cologne elaborated while all of them who weren't fighting gathered to watch them in a group.
"So that explains that stutter Ryoga kept making, shame I won't be able to see this Hiryu Shoten Ha…" Nodoka remarked with a cute huff.
"You can see that ?" Akane inquired, doing her best to try and see the same but the blurring arms were just too fast for her to keep up with so her eyes resembled the spirals Ranma was failing to complete.
"It's gotten to the point Ranma is only able to meet him blow for blow, this entire time neither has landed a hit but that's not to say this won't wear them down or at least I'd assume so, because I think for some reason they're going faster and able to dash to the other with just enough pressure from their feet, look how the ground beneath their feet keep leaving tiny craters behind too…" Cologne continued to analyze, one of her sleeves over her mouth as something dawned on her.
"Having bond no supposed to make them stronger, right Great Grandmother?" Shampoo pressed for questions, her hair swaying from the force and pressure Ryoga's punches brought.
"I'm not sure but from what I've been told the reason they're in need of the protection of an Elder Amazon is because the butterflies themselves have stored vast ki reserves over these past thirteen hundred years, it's possible that that energy might still be lingering inside them!" Cologne expressed but as they continued to fight she noticed that if it was just lingering energy why was it only getting stronger?
"Oh my, Ryoga is… such a man!" Akari exclaimed as she watched her Lost Boy's attacks creating gusts of wind as they fought.
Refusing to falter, Ranma maintained her intense focus, she couldn't understand it but no matter how much faster, how much keener she got, Ryoga was still able to meet her attacks. Her eyes widened to pin needles, locked into Ryoga's cold and unfeeling eyes. How she hated that face, it looked as though he wasn't even trying and that was insulting to the redhead's honor!
"Dammit! Stop looking at me that way!" Ranma ordered before she was struck against her right cheek and sent reeling backward.
Seeing this as his chance the Lost Boy took advantage of this moment and refused to let up, Ranma's angry face didn't let up though now that she had taken the shame of being the first one to take a hit.
"You really ought to be focusing," Ryoga advised with an emotionless face as he went on the assault, landing a kick on Ranma's hip and then following it by spinning around for a kick to the face which Ranma ducked under before gaining a little distance, enough so they were again standing in front of the other.
"Ranma…" Akane muttered.
"He's letting his frustration get to him, just like his Father…" Nodoka's voice trailed as she smiled, placing her cheek in her palm.
Finally starting to register that she shouldn't lose her cool, Ranma pursed her lips while exchanging fists. Slowly and surely Ranma's composure began to relax as Ryoga's remained the same as before.
Their auras began to intermingle, bright golden aura slowly bleeding into Ryoga's glowing green one, something which was more easily noticed by Shampoo and Cologne.
"That's peculiar, usually auras remain in opposition to their enemy's aura," Cologne observed but as she did she noticed something new taking place.
"Am I seeing things or are they somehow fighting with their eyes closed?" Akari said as she tried to get a little closer to see but the force of their attacks pushed her back anytime she'd try to get a clearer image.
"I think I can sense something," Cologne said, pausing as she not only sensed she could see Ranma and Ryoga's auras, but a dim white light orb formed between them as it rapidly began to expand to about ten feet wide.
"What is you sensing Great Grandmother?" Shampoo asked.
"Not the storms of clouded minds, but an elegant purity activating on mere impulse alone, Ranma, and Ryoga, are focused solely on each other," Cologne continued, humming as she closed her eyes.
Dashing toward the other before meeting in the center Ranma and Ryoga's fists collided with equal force, causing a strong but quick shockwave to disperse before they struck again, this time they attacked with elbow strikes that only ended up countering the other's attack. Right after, they both tried to do an elbow kick only to be propelled away from the other and sent flying back. The graceful redhead backflipped for as far as their collision had taken her, she eventually landed and dragged her heels backward as she kept her face in Ryoga's direction.
"More specifically on the battle itself, throwing their whole bodies and souls into the moment of each fleeting hit, allowing the fires in their hearts to rage freely," Cologne paused as she swore there was something serene about how they moved.
Using a zig-zag pattern and the power of his insane strength, Ryoga closed the distance between himself and his elegant foe. He sent himself flying as he launched himself at Ranma from above where she was skidding backward as he launched him from the trunk of a tree, his right leg extended, one arm pumped and one arm outstretched.
"Neither held back by things like words or thoughts, who will win, the differences in strength, their hesitation, their fears, they've casted them all aside for this one moment!" Cologne said as she could feel the winds generated from their strikes, opening her eyes with a warm smile.
"I can't believe this!" Akane shouted, watching as her fiancé ducked and rolled out of the way of Ryoga's kick, seeing that it created a massive plum of dirt.
This time both dashed towards the other with their arms pulled back, their eyes still closed the entire time as their fists met in the middle with enough force that it tore at some of their clothing, leaving both in tattered and torn clothing as the shockwave made a crater beneath their feet.
"That was incredible…" Ryoga panted and opened his eyes, smiling warmly at the redhead.
"That was the best fight of my life!" Ranma replied in between pants.
Thud!
Suddenly and without any warning the two embraced in the middle, before pulling back, at first everyone around them smiled as they took it for a friendly gesture.
That was until the two combatants gazed into each others eyes before they kissed as passionately as they had at the park. There was a raw and intense energy being displayed by them as they held each other as though they had more than just an eagerness for kissing each other.
Fire began surrounding Akane whereas Akari stared with wide eyes, Shampoo looked as though she was ready to kill and Cologne looked just as blown away as Akari.
"What the hell, Ranma!?" Akane demanded.
To be continued...?
DaisukiFox: I don't know what to think because when I first made this I just intended it to be a Oneshot but over time it's gotten its fanbase and the favorites and kudos say a lot about this little story. Does this chapter hold a candle to the first chapter or was it just fun?
Whatever it is for you, please let me know if you want more, what do you think, should there be more to the butterflies? Do you want to see the fallout of this?
I've also been able to get back in touch with my inner Ranma comedy I think as I've been watching the remake on Netflix, which isn't bad but it's almost a complete retelling and so far that's fine. I like that Ryoga is back but still wish they'd make RyoRan a thing! Lolz I doubt it but that's why there's people like me here.
Also, the announcement for Lost Together… My co-writer Doctor Facer for the time being is unable to continue to work on the story for the time being, we're hopeful that somewhere in the near future like April he could return if not I, DaisukiFox, may write chapter 20, and see where we go from there. It is not that he doesn't want to work on it, he loves the story, it's just there's something outside of his control as of this moment.
Anyway! Happy New Years Everyone!
Fox~