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CHRONICLES OF THE LOST SOULS
A story based on Ranma 1/2 by Rumiko Takahashi
Written by ZETAGÉ
Author's Note:
Hi. As always, thank you for reading my story. It seems that FFnet is experiencing a lot of issues with its servers when updating files. Because of this, I'd like to remind you that I'm also publishing on other sites like AO3 and Wattpad. You can find my username for those and other platforms where I post content in my profile.
CHAPTER I - AKANE'S LONELINESS
Akane stared at her reflection in the classroom window. In the background, Miss Hinako's childish voice droned on, probably teaching something important, but Akane couldn't have cared less. Her attention was fixed on the heavy gray sky, which looked ready to unleash a storm at any moment.
It had been an unusual autumn, with the weather unable to decide between the lingering heat of summer and the arrival of the rainy season. The air was thick with humidity, and the cloudy sky cast everything in a dull gray tone that matched her mood perfectly.
"Miss Tendo, are you paying attention?"
Miss Hinako's sharp voice snapped Akane out of her thoughts. She turned away from the window, blinking in surprise as she noticed her classmates' eyes on her, their gazes filled with a mix of curiosity and pity she found unbearable.
"Sorry, Miss Hinako," she replied in a monotone, trying to hide her discomfort.
Miss Hinako sighed, tapping herself lightly on the head with the long pointer she used to reach the top of the blackboard. Although her expression showed some annoyance, her tone toward Akane was unexpectedly understanding.
"Apology accepted. But, Miss Tendo, I need you to come with me for a moment."
Akane frowned slightly. She disliked drawing attention to herself, let alone being singled out.
"Miss Hinako, I don't think that's necessary…"
"I insist," Miss Hinako said with a smile that seemed like an awkward attempt to ease the situation. "Surely, you won't mind leaving me behind, right?"
Akane pressed her lips together, reluctantly giving in.
"No, of course not."
She stood from her seat, ignoring the stares, and followed her teacher, who was already heading for the door. Before leaving, Miss Hinako turned back to the class, pointing at them with her pointer:
"What are you all staring at?! I just gave you an assignment—get started, or you'll all fail!" Then, she smiled again at Akane. "Miss Tendo?"
Trying to keep her emotions in check, Akane followed her in silence as the classroom buzzed with activity, her classmates quickly grouping up to work on whatever Miss Hinako had assigned.
The hallway was quiet and still. However, the calm did little to ease the irritation that had been simmering inside Akane for days.
"I'm worried about you, Miss Tendo," Miss Hinako began, adjusting her pace to match Akane's longer strides. Because of her diminutive stature, she had to walk faster to keep up. "You haven't been yourself lately."
Akane felt her irritation spike.
"I'm not sure what you mean."
"You've been distracted in class, quieter than usual, avoiding your classmates, eating lunch in solitude… And…" Miss Hinako hesitated, as though carefully choosing her words. "You've even stopped greeting your friends in the mornings."
Akane stopped dead in her tracks.
"How long have you been watching me that closely?"
"Since Saotome stopped coming to class."
His name hit Akane like a punch to the gut, leaving her breathless for a moment. Miss Hinako kept walking, oblivious to the fact that Akane had halted in the middle of the hallway.
"I don't know what happened between the two of you, but if you need help dealing with that troublemaker…"
Akane felt something inside her snap. She wasn't sure if it was anger, frustration, or sheer exhaustion, but she reached her breaking point.
"What does Ranma have to do with this?!" she shouted, her whole body tense.
Miss Hinako spun around, finally realizing that Akane wasn't following her. Her expression made it clear that Akane's outburst had caught her off guard.
"Miss Tendo, I only meant…"
"I don't need anyone meddling in my life!" Akane cut her off, the words spilling out faster than she could control. "Not you or anyone else!"
Miss Hinako raised a hand to her face, her eyes shimmering with childlike tears.
"I'm sorry. That wasn't my intention…"
"I don't need anyone's pity!" Akane interrupted again, her eyes shining with barely contained anger.
Before Miss Hinako could say anything else, Akane turned on her heel and marched back toward the classroom, her footsteps echoing loudly in the hallway. She didn't want to hear apologies, advice, or even comforting words. All she wanted was for the day to end so she could finally be alone.
Outside, the sky grew even darker, as if mirroring her mood.
~o~
Akane stormed out of the school, fuming with such anger that every student she crossed quickly stepped aside to clear her path. Her steps were firm and heavy, and each time someone dared to glance at her for more than a second, she returned the look with such intensity that no one dared to say a word.
It wasn't until she reached the street by the stream, much later, that her anger began to dissipate. Her strides slowed, and with them, the intensity of her fury crumbled, giving way to a feeling of regret and sadness that nearly left her without strength.
"Everyone thinks they have the right to meddle in my life," she muttered, kicking a stone along the path until it tumbled into the water. "As if I'm doing so badly…"
The words hung in the air. Akane knew they said it because it was true. She wasn't okay. She hadn't been for weeks. Her shoulders slumped as she let out a sigh.
It had all started a week before her seventeenth birthday, the day Ranma and his father had disappeared without a trace. That day, after saying goodbye at school, Akane returned to the dojo late, expecting to find him there, but Ranma wasn't around. She figured, as usual, that he had probably gotten into some trouble or was training with his father. She didn't worry at first, not even when night fell and neither of them had returned, but the next day, when she got back from school and found the Saotomes' room empty with all their belongings intact, a sense of unease began to take hold of her chest.
"How strange," she remembered murmuring, staring at Ranma's neatly folded futon. "I guess they'll be back tomorrow."
But as the days passed, unease turned into worry. It wasn't the first time Ranma and his father left midweek to train, although Ranma avoided skipping school whenever possible. But it wasn't normal for them to leave without any sign of life for so long.
At one point, Akane considered seeking help but soon remembered that those who might have helped were also absent. Ryoga was a wandering soul, and Akane hadn't seen him in months, so she couldn't rely on him, no matter how much she knew he'd have been happy to help if he were around. Perhaps Ukyo might have been able to give her some clues, being Ranma's childhood friend, but she had left Nerima shortly after their almost-wedding to become a traveling food vendor like her father. That decision had caught everyone off guard, especially since her restaurant was very successful. Akane always suspected her sudden decision to leave was closely tied to the fact that she and Ranma had nearly gotten married, though she never had the chance to ask her about it. It was a shame, because Ukyo was one of the few people she could talk to without feeling judged.
Dr. Tofu wasn't around either. Shortly before everything happened, he had received a scholarship to study chiropractic care in America. Kasumi had mentioned it enthusiastically, but Akane could tell part of her sister was saddened by his departure. On top of it all, it seemed the Doctor's studies would take time, leaving Nerima without his calming presence and wisdom to handle problems...
Akane bit her lip, a habit she had picked up. It was hard to admit, but the fact that so many people had left Nerima in such a short time made her feel even more alone. Not even P-Chan was there to console her, as even her pet pig seemed to have embarked on an endless journey and hadn't been seen in months.
Of course, Akane also sought help within her family, but no one had answers. Kasumi, always ready to calm her, suggested they might be dealing with some urgent family matter. Nabiki, on the other hand, was evasive and uninterested, quickly changing the subject to focus on her plans to leave the dojo and settle in the Tokyo metropolitan area—a decision she had made after graduating from school that now consumed all of her time. Her father initially shared the belief that Genma and Ranma had gone on a training trip. But as days passed with no sign of them, both he and Akane ventured into the mountains near Nerima, where they usually trained, only to find nothing. It was as if they had vanished into thin air.
Akane had hoped they would return for her birthday, but the day came and went without a trace of them. For a moment, she had been excited that it would be her first birthday since Ranma entered her life, but in the end, the day she turned seventeen became the saddest birthday she could remember.
Her father spent most of the day crying, oscillating between genuine concern for the disappearance of his friend and his son-in-law and growing anger towards them for what he saw as a betrayal of the families' engagement. Kasumi, trying to maintain a semblance of normalcy, prepared a small cake and tried to lift their spirits, though she couldn't hide the stress she carried. As for Nabiki… Nabiki didn't even show up, too busy with her own affairs. She only graced them with her presence the next morning during breakfast to announce that she was ready to move, which she did a few days later. Since then, they hadn't heard from her either.
Akane kicked another stone as she walked, watching it while biting her lower lip to hold back her emotions. She felt everything inside her was wrong. She felt lonely and empty. Without the will to do anything. She watched the stone roll downhill and disappear into the water. For a moment, she wished her sadness could drift away with the current, as if that might bring her peace. Then, a memory took hold of her, clear and inevitable, of another day by that stream along the street. A day when her heart was still full of hope, and Ranma was by her side. She closed her eyes, allowing herself to relive that moment, no matter how much it hurt.
It had happened shortly after her father decided to cancel their wedding due to the chaos caused by the gift sent from Jusenkyo. On that day, both Ranma and Akane were walking home from school along the same path by the stream. Ranma had also been kicking stones to vent his emotions, walking a few steps ahead of her with his hands in his pockets and his focus on a small rock that he nudged along the way.
"What do you have against that poor stone?" she asked suddenly, turning toward him.
Ranma lifted his gaze, startled by the question.
"What? Now I can't even kick a rock?" he replied in that mocking tone he used whenever he felt uncomfortable.
"No, but you've been at it for a while. Are you so bored walking with me?" she teased, crossing her arms, though her voice held no real anger.
Ranma gave the stone one last kick, letting it roll to a stop. He raised his eyes toward the stream, and Akane noticed the tension in his face. Something was clearly bothering him.
"It's not that…" he murmured, avoiding her gaze.
Akane could even hear it in his voice—it was different from their usual arguments. Concerned, she took a couple of steps toward him and stared at him intently.
"Then, what is it?"
Ranma sighed, scratching the back of his neck.
"It's just… there's something I can't get out of my head."
"Well, that's good," Akane said, raising an eyebrow. "It means your head isn't completely empty for once."
"Hey!" he protested. "I'm being serious here!"
"Then tell me. What's on your mind?"
Ranma took his time answering. He kicked the stone again, watching it roll under the railing and tumble downhill into the stream, sinking with a dull splash.
"I was thinking…" Ranma scratched his cheek with one finger, and Akane, on instinct, felt her heart begin to race slightly. "…about us."
Akane cleared her throat, trying to keep a straight face. She feared she might blush.
"'Us'? What about 'us'?" she asked, turning her gaze toward the stream to avoid his eyes.
"Our relationship—or whatever it is we have," Ranma said, visibly uncomfortable. His words seemed to come out almost by force. "I don't want you to think I regret… well, the wedding."
Akane closed her eyes. The topic of the wedding was complex for her too. They'd been so close… She realized that, since that day, both she and Ranma had gradually grown closer, feeling more at ease with each other. But there were still deep, unspoken matters between them, like the consequences surrounding the wedding and its cancellation.
"What are you trying to say, Ranma?" she asked, unsure of what tone to use.
Ranma sighed again, staring at the water as though searching for answers in the stream's steady flow.
"I'm worried that… maybe we made a mistake."
Now Akane could feel her face heating up, though not for a pleasant reason. The surprise she felt quickly gave way to anger.
"Oh, I see! It must be awful to think about marrying someone like me, right?"
Ranma raised his hands, trying to calm her down.
"No, idiot! That's not it."
"Then what?" Akane pressed.
Ranma looked back at the water, unable to meet her gaze.
"It's just… are you really willing to spend your life with someone like me? You know, someone who spends half his time as a girl. Doesn't it bother you what people might think? That they might accuse you of being a pervert or something like that?"
Akane fell silent for a moment, processing what Ranma had just admitted. She looked up at the sky to gather her thoughts, and when she finally spoke, her voice was soft.
"Ranma, to me, you're you."
He lifted his head to look at her, frowning.
"And what does that mean?"
Akane hesitated, wondering where this insecurity came from. Over time, Ranma had seemed to reach a certain level of acceptance regarding his curse. Finally, she answered with what felt honest, though part of her felt compelled to respond this way to protect him.
"It means that… it doesn't matter if you're a boy or a girl. Ranma is Ranma."
But Ranma didn't seem convinced by her response. His expression showed a mix of frustration and something deeper. Perhaps he had also noticed how much effort it had taken Akane to say those words. Finally, he spoke, his tone surprising Akane with its vulnerability.
"And what if I stayed in my girl form forever? Would I still be 'Ranma' to you?"
Akane stared at him, confused. She hadn't expected the conversation to take this turn and still couldn't grasp the source of Ranma's frustration.
"Where is this coming from? Did something happen with your curse?" she asked, searching for the reason behind his unease.
But Ranma shook his head.
"No, nothing new has happened. And that's the problem," he said. He paused for a moment, as if waiting for her to ask a question, but when Akane remained silent, he continued. "I had it in my hands, Akane. The water from the Spring of the Drowned Man! If I'd been faster, I could feel like a complete man right now!"
"Wait," Akane interrupted impulsively. "Is that what this is about? Your manhood?"
"Well, yeah!" he replied, his voice tinged with frustration. He finally met her eyes, speaking directly. "Of course it is! Why wouldn't it be? You have no idea what it's like to be a freak like me. How could you understand what I'm feeling?"
Akane's anger flared too.
"Well, of course, it's hard to understand the feelings of someone who can't even accept what he is. What do you expect, sympathy?"
"Who do you think you are to question how I feel?!"
"I'm your fiancée, you moron! The one who was willing to marry you even if you were stuck as a girl!"
That answer caught Ranma off guard.
"So what?" he responded defensively.
"'So what'?" she mimicked mockingly, taking a step toward him. "You're so quick to complain about my feelings, but you never stop to think about how you've never been honest with your own. I asked you once, remember? I asked if you loved me, and you never answered!"
Ranma opened his mouth to say something, but the words seemed to fail him. He turned back to the water, fidgeting with his fingers, noticeably embarrassed.
"Akane, I…" he began but stopped, closing his eyes so tightly his brows nearly met.
Akane was starting to regret bringing it up, seeing how much she had rattled Ranma. But just as she was about to say something to end the topic, Ranma opened his eyes abruptly. With his fists clenched and showing the effort it took, he spoke again.
"I… I've never been good… with words… okay?" He looked directly at her. Akane's face was flushed, but she felt a bit calmer seeing that Ranma's face was just as red as hers. "But… I want you to trust in… my… feelings."
"Ranma…"
Silence fell over them as both of them cast their eyes downward, unable to look at each other directly. The awkward and confusing moment ended when Ranma, still avoiding her gaze, started walking again.
"You'll see," he muttered under his breath, kicking another stone down the path to vent his frustration. "I'll make you trust in my feelings."
Akane followed after him a moment later, but neither said another word. Unsure of what else to do, she also kicked a gray stone on the path—the same color as the one she had now in the present.
But what she felt now was far from the hope that had stirred within her after that conversation. In the end, Ranma had disappeared before proving anything to her, leaving her behind with a void she could only hide behind anger. That same anger made her pick up a stone from the path and throw it forcefully into the stream.
"Ranma, you idiot!"
The same anger that made her bite her lower lip to the point of drawing blood as she gripped the railing. The same anger that quickly gave way to frustration and regret, urging her to walk home, though she knew she wouldn't find anything there to fill the loneliness.
~o~
Akane arrived at the dojo with weary steps, still burdened with lingering emotions. As she crossed the threshold of the porch, she raised her voice, trying to sound more energetic than she truly felt.
"I'm home!"
The silence that followed struck her as strange. Normally, Kasumi would come to greet her with a kind smile, or her father would appear with some exaggerated concern. This time, however, was different. Seconds passed, and when Kasumi finally appeared, Akane immediately noticed something was off about her sister. There was worry on her face, mixed with a discomfort that seemed to make whatever she was about to say even harder.
"Your teacher called a little while ago," Kasumi said in her usual tone, though softer than normal. "She was worried about you. She said that… well… you had an argument with her at school."
Akane let out a huff and shook the bag she held in both hands.
"It was nothing. She's just always meddling."
"If you need to talk…"
"It's not necessary, Kasumi," Akane interrupted, already beginning to walk away. "I told you, it was nothing."
"Alright… but, Akane…" Kasumi hesitated, her concern plain to see. "It's not the only thing that's happened…"
The seriousness in her sister's tone stopped any sarcastic response Akane might have had prepared. Before she could ask what Kasumi meant, a familiar sound reached her ears: her father's sobs.
"Is he crying again?" she muttered with a hint of irritation as she left her shoes by the entrance.
Kasumi shook her head.
"No, it's not that. Other things… have happened."
Akane frowned in confusion.
"What things?"
At that moment, voices from the dining room reached her. She tensed and looked at Kasumi with inquisitive eyes.
"Who's here?"
Kasumi didn't answer immediately. Her expression hardened briefly, as though she wasn't sure how to explain. Akane, impatient, didn't wait for her to speak and headed straight for the dining room.
What she saw stopped her in her tracks.
A group of people was seated around the dining table. Her father sat with his arms and legs crossed, his face streaked with tears, as though he hadn't stopped crying. Opposite him, in a calmer posture, was the Jusenkyo Guide, calmly smoking a pipe, as though his mere presence wasn't enough to fill the room with tension. Next to him sat an elderly woman Akane didn't recognize. She was short and stout, with gray hair tied in a bun that fell down her back. Her foreign attire reminded Akane of a priestess. Though she wasn't tall and remained seated, her dignified demeanor gave her an aura of authority, though her expression didn't seem hostile.
But what caught Akane's attention the most was the presence of…
Uncle Genma!
Ranma's father was seated next to hers, but he looked different. He looked haggard. Gone was the strong, confident figure he usually projected. His posture was slumped, his shoulders sagging, and his face… Akane felt a knot in her stomach as she noticed how much older Uncle Genma seemed, as if he had aged years in an impossibly short time. His skin was pale, his eyes sunken, and he didn't even seem aware of his surroundings, staring blankly ahead as though his mind was far away.
"What the hell is going on here?!" she asked, more scared than angry, though her tone betrayed her emotions. "Uncle Genma! Where have you two been?!" She looked around. "And where's Ranma?!"
But Genma didn't respond. He didn't even lift his head. His silence, combined with the heavy atmosphere, made Akane's anxiety rise rapidly.
"Listen to me, young lady…"
"I'm not talking to you, ma'am!" Akane interrupted when the elderly woman tried to speak.
Kasumi stepped in behind her and offered the woman a small, respectful bow.
"I apologize for my sister's behavior. She's been through a lot lately."
The elderly woman raised a hand calmly.
"There's no need to apologize," she said in a heavily accented voice. "It's natural for the young one to be upset." Her gaze settled on Akane, evaluating her as though she could see beyond her appearance. "You must be the partner of the man who fell into the Nyannichuan."
Akane felt a chill run down her spine at those words. The Nyannichuan was the Spring of the Drowned Girl—the one Ranma had fallen into, gaining his curse.
"What…?" she asked, barely managing to keep her voice steady. "What are you talking about…?"
"I regret having to be the one to tell you this, but I don't know what has become of him." The woman tilted her head slightly toward Genma as she spoke. "All I know is that his soul, like this man's, has been claimed by the benevolent Shui-Feng, the Lord of Jusenkyo."
Akane's heart seemed to stop.
"Claimed…? Jusenkyo…?" she repeated, her voice now weaker. "What do you mean?!"
The woman looked directly at her now and said with clarity:
"That it is likely this Ranma you speak of… is already dead."
Akane's world crumbled with those words. The air felt heavier, and she felt as though a force was pressing down on her head.
"T-That's nonsense…!" she exclaimed, her chest so tight it was hard to breathe. "Ranma always… always… comes back…"
But she couldn't finish her sentence. Her strength left her, and her body seemed to grow unbearably heavy all at once. She staggered back, and Kasumi rushed to catch her.
"Don't worry, little sister. I'm here. Everything will be fine," Kasumi murmured, holding her tightly.
Akane couldn't hold back any longer, and the tears she had been suppressing for weeks finally began to flow as her body gave out. The last thing she heard were the sobs of her father and the murmured prayers of the elderly woman in an unfamiliar language. After that, she knew no more and collapsed into the arms of her sister.
Ranma 1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi