“Oh man, I just can’t believe it.” Ranma groused to himself. It wasn’t the fact that he had lost. Oh no, if he had lost and had lost some money, he wouldn’t feel so bad. “Grave, Sheila...” He muttered to himself. How could he let them down so badly?
And then there was Momoko to consider. He had just gotten the girl. Hell, he never even got a chance to properly Tame her, even after she had healed him in ways that were beyond PG-13 format!
“This fucking sucks!” And the worst part was, at least in his opinion, he couldn’t really blame anyone. Well, he could blame Kei and Yuri. “Why the hell do those two have to act like their Anime counter-parts?” He thought to himself. Still, he couldn’t hold them accountable, just because they liked to overdo it slightly with the weapons. “No,” Ranma sighed, “I’m the one at fault here.”
Sighing, Ranma just collapsed forward onto the bed. He was the one at fault. He had been feeling like top-gun recently, unbeatable. And then he underestimated that Vash guy’s pokégirls... And if he had only tried to reason with the guy before he stated his rules, he might have had to only give money...
But that wasn’t the worst of it all. No, the worst part was that if he got into any other gym fights in the future and lost, he could loose even more of his girls. “Damn, damn, damn.” He muttered, feeling really upset with everything at the moment. He idly thought about tossing a Shi Shi Hokodan off, just to bleed off some of his depression, but he didn’t think people would take kindly to having a few buildings demolished because he was depressed.
Lifting his head up, Ranma did realize something. "I need to talk to someone...”
Sitting up, Ranma looked at his PokéBelt, which was vacant of three PokéBalls. One was now Vash’s, and the other two were being healed. Deciding on a PokéBall, Ranma carefully held it, aiming it at the center of the room. He then shouted, “Jetta! I Screw You!”
Soon a beam of red light shone forth from the center lens of the red and white metal PokéBall, light which soon took the form of a tall wolven woman in a red leotard.
The Lupina blinked as she looked around the room. Stretching lightly, to get the kinks out, she smiled at her master, which turned into a frown when she saw how he looked. “Ranma? What’s wrong?” She asked, before walking up to the bed and sitting down next to him.
“Jetta...” Ranma started slowly, sounding almost sad. “I think this was a mistake...”
The Lupina blinked and tilted her head to the side. What was bothering her master this time? “What’s wrong?” She asked. She had never seen him like this before, he seemed so... Defeated.
“Jetta... I lost...” Ranma told his Alpha pokégirl. “I lost big time...”
“What do you mean?” She asked him. “You lost a PokéBattle?” It was one of the first things that popped into her head.
“Not just any PokéBattle...” Ranma groaned. “Sheila and Grave got hurt. REALLY hurt... They didn’t even get to make a move.”
Jetta winced. She knew how protective Ranma was of those two, hell, of the whole harem. “But they’ll be okay, right?” She asked, looking into his eyes, and seeing nothing but loathing there.
“They NurseJoy said they’ll be fine... But that’s not the least of it...” Ranma shook his head, disgusted with himself. “Jetta, I thought you told me Gym Leaders don’t take pokégirls...”
“They don’t, normally,” Jetta told Ranma, before blinking her eyes in surprise. “When were you in a Gym Battle?”
Ranma winced. Something else he was doing wrong. Keeping Jetta in her PokéBall. “A few hours ago...” He told the Lupina. “And he wouldn’t take slc. If he won he wanted a pokégirl. And he won.”
Jetta sighed before rubbing her eyes. “So... You lost a pokégirl. Which one?” She asked, knowing that she’d feel bad no matter which girl was taken. Well, except maybe some of the new girls, but Jetta hadn't really gotten to know them yet.
Ranma sighed. “A girl I just frikin’ got today no less. Momoko. A NurseJoy.”
Jetta blinked once, twice, thrice. “A NurseJoy? How the hell did you get a NurseJoy?” What the nine hells did she miss in her PokéBall lately?
Ranma sighed. “I was Taming Mitsuko, a Vixxen I won from my PokéBattle with Séance, and... She injured me by accident. Momoko came up to me and healed me.”
Jetta nodded. “Okay. So how does that explain how you got her as a Pokegirl?” Seeing his even more depressed look, Jetta shook her head. “Look, Ranma, you can tell me. I’m the Alpha, you can tell me things that you wouldn’t tell others, okay?”
Looking at his Lupina, Ranma sighed. “I was told she was a Threshold girl. She was going to stay at the PokéCenter and be safe... But... She wanted to come along with me. And I allowed it, not caring about what was best for her...”
“Wanderlust,” Jetta said, knowing that sometimes pokégirls got that. She then took a deep breath. “Look, Ranma. Sometimes, you have to do what’s best for the pokégirl, even if it hurts your pride and ego.”
“And it was because of MY ego she got taken away!” Ranma told Jetta. “I found out Vash as a Gym Leader and I challenged him! I goaded him into a PokéBattle to get a Gym Badge and make you proud...” He shook his head. “I should’ve kept my mouth shut and didn’t. Now I lost Momoko...”
“Vash?” Jetta asked with a raised eyebrow. “Wait, you mean Vash the Stampede!?” She asked with wide-eyes. No wonder her master felt so down. From what she had heard about Vash, he was a nice guy, but that made people underestimate him, and feel really down when they lost.
“Yes...” Ranma said as he slowly nodded his head. “THAT Vash...”
Jetta sighed. “Ranma, it’s okay. So you lost to Vash. It happens.” She didn't want to tell him that she was happy he didn't have to worry about another pokégirl, but that would bring his spirits down some more.
Ranma’s gaze looked distant for a moment; he was obviously lost in thought. “Jetta?” He asked. “Maybe I should just let you all go...”
“WHAT!?” Jetta screamed, outraged. “What the hell? What brought this on?”
Holding his hands up to placate the angered Lupina, Ranma asked her, “How can I be trusted with the welfare of your girls after this? Sheila and Grave got hurt because of me! And if someone else Battles me and I lose, what will happen to you guys?”
Jetta frowned at him, before lifting her master up and hugging him to her tightly. Ranma was about to ask what she was doing, when he felt her take several shuddering, deep breaths in and out. “Ranma, don’t do that, don’t think like that,” She whispered to his ear. "None of us will think anything less of you, trust me on that. Do you think Sheila, or Grave wants you to let them go? You've been the best thing to happen to the both of them. I know it.”
Holding back onto Jetta as she hugged him, Ranma whispered back, “I don’t know... I don’t know anymore. Ever since I got here, this whole thing has felt like a frickin’ GameBoy game... And it’s very real... You’ll suffer because of my actions...”
Jetta nodded. “I know. I know. But none of us would have it any other way, Ranma.” Though, she did wonder about that GameBoy game comment. It wasn’t too important to her though. “Ranma, if you asked Grave and Sheila if they wanted to be let go, they would grab your legs and squeeze so tight that you would think they’re about to fall off. They care for you too much, and they want your care in return. Just hearing you talk like this is hurting me. So, please, stop it.”
Ranma winced. “I’m sorry to hurt you...” Ranma said as he held onto the Lupina tightly; protectively.
The Lupina shuddered. “Dammit, you’re so good, why do you doubt yourself so much!? Do you honestly think that any of the girls hate you because you lost!? HUH!? Ask them! Ask them if they hate you because you lost a battle! They’ll all say no!” Jetta cried out, literally, as tears fell down her face and she took deep breaths, trying to quit sobbing.
Ranma just held his Lupina tightly. He knew it was his fault she was hurting like this. “Jetta... Please stop... Please?” Ranma asked. “I won’t leave you if I’m too important... I promise... Just please stop crying...”
The Lupina nodded, but held onto Ranma tightly. “Sorry, but I can feel how you feel, and I don’t want you to feel that way anymore. You have to think what your choices will do to others.” She said, shivering lightly.
Ranma winced. “Again, I’m beign selfish, huh?”
Jetta shook her head lightly. “It’s okay, you're only human. But think before you leap, okay?” She asked, sniffling. Dang it, she was much stronger than this.
“MERROWL! That’s right!”
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(Posted Thu, 26 Aug 2004 22:21)
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