Sighing, Ranma just dragged her feet and kept walking. She didn't know what to think of what life was doing to her to cause her to think like that monetarilly. Probably Akane's damn cooking that she had the other day acting up again...
Ranma froze in her tracks. "Akane..."
Ranma cursed under her breath as the tears started flowing again. She still couldn't believe what was going on with her life right now.
Ranma had come home late from school. Mousse had attacked him in the middle of class; and as usual, Ranma had the blame placed on him for the destruction that Mousse had caused. It was then Ranma realized nothing's changed.
During his walk, Ranma had time to think over the past month since the incident in Jusendo... And, everything went back to the way it was... Ranma was once again the focus for all the ill-tempered martial artists to vent their anger through; once again someone to be attacked, poisoned, yelled at, blackmailed, malleted, etc, etc, etc...
Akane had become angrier than usual, and she'd become plain hostile towards Ranma at times. Sure, she was holding back her tantrums and accusations a lot more, which Ranma appreciated greatly. But when she did lose her temper she would pound on the pig-tailed martial artist with that damned mallet of hers.
At the time, Akane was just the tip of the iceberg. All the guys, the 'rivals', were trying to kill Ranma seriously, each guy attacking her at least three times a day. (And Ryoga attacking three times a week; a new record for the lost boy). Mousse's attack today was only the latest in a long string of attacks...
Then there was the other pain in Ranma's life, (or hell, depending on how one looked at it.) The 'Fiancee Brigade' was after Ranma with renewed force and vigor, using every trick in their arsenal to ensnare Ranma. But all this really does is sicken her more. Ranma let out a deep sigh as she thought of how Ukyo's become. Ucchan was now downright obsessive with him; almost to Kodachi-like levels...
But the fiancees weren't Ranma's only female problem. Nabiki kept on Ranma's case, blackmailing her to take whatever money she had, and taking photos left and right... However, at least now she seemed to do it more as to keep the dojo afloat than just to be hostile towards Ranma, so that's at least one good thing! Ranma couldn't help it if she'd gotten so good in the art that she couldn't place up betting pools on her fights anymore.
However, as Ranma, during her walk, realized that as bad as the fiancees were, Cologne was worse! The old ghoul had started to intervene in her life more than usual as well, even going as far as to outright attack Ranma. The old woman said she was just trying to keep Ranma in shape since his rivals are no longer a match for her... But Ranma knew better... Ranma knew that Cologne realized that tricks and traps won't catch her now. The best Cologne can do is try to overpower Ranma and drag her back to China... Not that she'd let the old ghoul do that to her.
And finally, there were the 'adults'. Soun and Genma keep pushing Akane and Ranma together, which just made Akane even angrier at Ranma, which usually ended in Ranma being malleted... Ranma sighs, as she couldn't believe their stupidity... In their efforts to bring Akane and him closer together, they are actually ruining any chances they had at being together.
And Ranma knew her mother was no different. Always, ALWAYS telling Ranma to go out and try the fiancees, telling her to go out and act like the next Happosai! There was a point Ranma would have crawled through hell just to see her mother... Now she'd just crawl through hell just to get away from the woman.
However, it was after her thoughts that Ranma had reached and entered the Tendo Dojo... It seemed that no one was home, or so she thought. However, Ranma could feel a large outpouring of energy from upstairs in the Dojo. She narrowed her eyes and was ready for battle. She has no idea what this energy was, but it felt like someone powering up for a chi technique. So Ranma walked up the set of stairs, and she could feel the energy pouring from Akane's room.
Ranma's eyes had widen in surprise as she wondered when Akane had become so advanced in the martial arts that she could gather so much energy. It made Ranma excited at the prospect of having a good sparring match with the tomboy, so Ranma opened Akane's door so she could ask Akane if she wanted a spar...
What Ranma found was Akane making love to Ryoga.
Akane and Ryoga didn't stop what they were doing when Ranma was standing at the door. They didn't even realize Ranma was watching.
Ranma just closed the door behind her. She walked away a few steps and dropped her backpack...
Ranma had run out of the Dojo then, her heart smashed to pieces. Akane had chosen Ryoga over him. After all they had been through together, after Ranma had saved her life, and given up possible cures for his curse for her... She chose Ryoga over him.
Ranma had been a man through all this ordeal, yet it had begun to rain soon after Ranma was running, changing her into her female form. And Ranma was thankful for that and the rain. It was easier for her to cry when she was a woman... And at leeast when it was raining she could say that it was teh rain on her face, and not her own tears.
As Ranma rethought the events of the day, she found herself sobbing harder, and short of breath. Why did life always have to crap on HER?
Ranma started to stumble a little. She was emotionally drained and she still had much to get off her mind and chest. Looking around and taking in her surroundings for the first time, Ranma realized she had walked into the middle of a park. She could see a bench not to far off.
Walking over to the bench, Ranma sat down and sighed in slight relief. Her whole body ached more than after any battle she'd been through. She just felt like complete and utter shit.
Lowering her head, Ranma felt another bout of tears. She didn't try holding back anymore. She just let them flow. Ranma just didn't care anymore if someone saw him cry. He had loved Akane, he could admit that now. And he had lost her to Ryoga. There was just no point anymore.
And so, Ranma sat for some times, tears going down the sides of her cheeks. It started to rain again. Ranma didn't care. She was already soaked and female this wouldn't do anything to her except hide the fact she was crying...
Except there was one man that was passing by, a man who just didn't take things for face-value alone. He was a decent enough guy that couldn't bare to see women cry... And could tell that the red-head with the pig-tail was very much crying.
He walked up to to the girl. In the softest voice he could muster he asked, "Hey, are you okay?"
Ranma looked up at the man. She sniffled a little. "I'm fine."
The man frowned a little. "You sure? You look very upset."
"I'M FINE!" Ranma snapped, becoming a little hostile. Her anger then deflated as she realized that she was becoming angry with some guy that didn't do anything to her. "Sorry 'bout that... Just not been a good day..."
The man nodded his head. "Well, feel like talking about it?"
Ranma looked at the man critically. "Why do you care? You don't know me and I don't know you."
"Well, I can't bare to see a woman like yourself suffer." The man said. "As for who I am, I'm..."
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(Posted Sun, 03 Aug 2003 17:22)
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