The Insanity Continues

Volume 0 - Ever Changing World

Chapter 1 - Voyage of Thoughts

Characters are owned by Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Video, etc..., and are 
used without permission. I'm only borrowing them. I'll return them. I 
can't afford the overdue charge Nabiki insists on. Translation of 
volume 38 taken from the Ranma Project. I did not ask permission to 
use it.

Scenes with * at the start of it are copied from Manga volume 38 final 
chapter. The entire section starting and ending with
********************** is direct from volume 38 with no additions (a 
couple deletions, but no additions.)

-----------------------------

Ranma looked over the railing as the land slowly disappeared from the 
slow boat from China he was on. He had lost his chance to get a cure. 
Jusenkyo had flooded as a result of his battle with Saffron, and it 
may take months, if ever, before the pools would be usable again.

Ranma sighed. <I lost my chance to be a full man for you, Akane. I 
wished you didn't think I was lying when I said I only wanted the cure 
for you. I nearly died for you. I-I killed for you.> 

Ranma looked at his hands. <I killed Saffron. It doesn't matter that 
his essence was reborn into an infant. I didn't know that when I 
destroyed his adult body, and he's not really going to be the same 
person. So, I'm a murderer. He stood in my way from saving you, so I 
killed him. Was it right for me to do that? Was it right for me to 
feel your life is worth more than his? If your life was threatened 
again, would I hesitate to kill?>

Ranma hugged himself. <No. I wouldn't. If I'm put in the same damn 
situation, I would not hesitate to kill. Because I killed Saffron, 
will that mean it'll be easier for me to kill next time? Willing to go 
all out against opponents that I could just subdue? I hope not. Oh 
Kami, I hope not.>

-----------------------------

Akane woke below decks in a hammock. She saw Ryoga sitting off to the 
side. "Hi, Ryoga. You didn't have to watch over me." 

"You're still weak from your ordeals. I just wanted to make sure 
you're all right."

"You don't have to worry about me."

"You're my friend. Of course I'm going to worry about you."

Akane sighed. "Where's Ranma?"

"Probably still on deck watching China disappear."

"Why isn't he here? If you're worried about me, why isn't he?"

"He asked me to watch over you," Ryoga admitted sadly. "He has a lot 
to think about right now."

"What is he thinking about?" Akane asked. She thought he might be 
thinking about what he said to her while she appeared to be dead.

"Akane, do you know what happened around you while you were 
dehydrated?"

"Not really. I was aware of things, but it's like trying to remember a 
dream."

"Well, Ranma did some things during this trip he must sort out. I 
think it'd be better if he tells you."

"I see. I'd like some time alone to think about some things myself."

"I understand," Ryoga sadly got up and left the room. <I've truly lost 
you. You care about if Ranma is worried about you or not, but you 
don't want me to be worried. She nearly died for him, and he nearly 
died trying to save her.>

Ryoga sighed. <Should I be surprised? She may fight him, but... but 
he's the one she loves. I may not like it and she may not admit, but 
she is. Her actions, her jealously, all speak of her love. The 
tenderness she shows me when I'm P-Chan is for a pet. She may be 
kinder to her friends than she usually is to Ranma, but that's because 
she loves him. She wants him to correct his faults, so she harps on 
him whenever she thinks he does something wrong. It's because she 
loves him that it hurts her so much when he insults her.>

Ryoga made his way on deck and looked at Ranma. <She also doesn't want 
to be forced to marry someone, so she takes it out on him. She didn't 
want to love him, but she does.>

Ryoga walked towards the front of the boat. <I don't want to lose 
Akane, but she is lost to me. I still have Akari, and I do lo-lo-like 
her. I just have to move on with my life.>

-----------------------------

Akane was resting in a hammock, staring at the ceiling. <Is Ranma 
thinking about me? Is he thinking about what he said when I almost 
died? Does he really love me?>

Akane shut her eyes. <If yes, then why? Why does he insult me? Why 
does he hang around with the other girls? Why would he do those things 
if he loves me?>

Akane opened her eyes. <Ranma has all those fiancees... which he 
doesn't really want. But he hugs Shampoo and the others... actually 
they hug him. He insults me... and I insult him.>

Akane sighed. <Why doesn't he do anything about the other fiancees if 
he loves me? If he loves me, what stops him from just saying it? Could 
it be me? Could it be because he doesn't truly know how I feel about 
him? But how can he not know? Sure, I've never said the words, but I'm 
learning to cook for him, I get jealous when he's with another girl, 
and I've done so much for him. How can he not know?>

Akane looked around the room. <If he's missing signs that I love him, 
am I missing his? When someone suggests he's in love, he does 
instantly assume they're talking about me. He denies he loves me to 
the point of overkill, but if someone asks if he loves Ukyou or the 
others, he just says he doesn't and says little more. He has risked 
his life to save me numerous times. He always comes back to me. He's 
done so much for me.>

Akane sat up in the hammock. <Ranma, if you love me, you should know I 
love you. I'm not going to tell you until you realize that.>

-----------------------------

Ranma continued to stare towards China, despite that, it had long 
since disappeared over the horizon. He was lost in thought, thinking 
about Akane, Saffron, life, death, and the murder he believed he 
committed.

"Ranma?" asked Akane, nervously, as she approached him.

"Akane, you should be resting," Ranma said.

"You don't have to worry. I'm fine."

Ranma opened his mouth to deny he's worried, but it died in his 
throat. "Just take it easy. You shouldn't be up."

"What have you been doing all day?"

"Thinkin'."

"Thinking about what?"

"Lots of things."

"Care to tell me about it."

"No."

"Will you tell me?"

"Maybe later."

"It might help if you talk to me."

"Doubt it. Can you leave me alone for a while? I need to think."

Akane heard the pain in his voice and wanted to say no. She decided to 
do as he wished and nodded. She turned around and walked towards 
Mousse, who was standing at the railing, midway down the port side. 
"Hi Mousse."

"Hi," Mousse returned her greeting.

"Can you tell me what Ranma's thinking about?"

"I'd say he's probably thinking about how he was forced to kill 
Saffron to save you."

"What?" Akane shouted, shocked. "Saffron was reborn as infant, he 
didn't die."

"He may not have died, but he should have. Ranma didn't know Saffron's 
phoenix-like powers extended to that point. Saffron stood between 
Ranma and the means to save your life, so he attacked him all out. 
Ranma attacked him, willing to kill to save your life, and the fact 
Saffron was reborn is of little comfort for him."

Akane stared at Mousse blankly. "He was driven to the point of killing 
someone, just to save me?"

"Yes. Do you know why?"

Akane remained silent.

"You may not notice it, but he loves you. When we found out Kiima had 
your body as a cursed form, he was deathly afraid they drowned and 
killed you. To keep his hopes, up I suggested they used their 
knowledge of Jusenkyo curses to assume your form and that you were 
still safe at home. When he thought you died, when you got dehydrated, 
he died inside too. He didn't move on his own until we discovered you 
were still alive. After he cured you and you appeared to be dead 
he..."

Akane interrupted, "He said he regretted the things he's said and 
said..." She was now blushing.

"And when he screamed your name..." Mousse shivered.

"It was loud enough to wake the dead, literally." Akane sighed. "He 
really does love me, doesn't he?"

Mousse nodded. "A while ago I realized he didn't see Shampoo as 
anything more than a friend. I'm not too sure about Ukyou, but he 
would throw a party if Kodachi was out of his life."

"I'd be partying along with him."

"Do you love him?"

Akane looked around, making sure no one was eavesdropping. "Yes," she 
whispered.

"When are you going to tell him?"

"I want him to say it first."

Mousse shook his head. "Do try to make it easy for him to say it."

"Do you know why he doesn't do something about the other girls?"

"I don't know," Mousse said, thinking, <Because he's a womanizer and 
enjoys having girls flock around him.>

-----------------------------

The trip continued with rarely anyone talking. Ryoga wanted to avoid 
Akane. Akane was lost in thought, thinking about her realization of 
how Ranma felt about her. Mousse ended up flying back to Japan after 
approaching Shampoo midway through the trip. Genma played shogi with 
the captain of the ship for most of the trip. Everyone avoided Ranma 
except Akane, but neither of them rarely said anything. Shampoo didn't 
want to socialize with anyone but Ranma, but he was being extremely 
anti-social to everyone.

Akane was happy to get home. She hoped Ranma would come out of it and 
rejoin the rest of the world. While he did start talking, he still 
wasn't acting like himself.

Akane was starting to get desperate a couple days after they returned. 
<He isn't paying attention to anything. There has to be something I 
could do to help. Maybe Daddy could help me. He might know something 
about what Ranma's going through.> 

Akane made her way through the house searching for her father. She 
couldn't find him, and she didn't see Genma and Nodoka either. She 
then heard voices from Happosai's room, but it couldn't be him, since 
he was on a panty raid. She approached to investigate. 

Pressing her ear to the door, Akane heard Nodoka's voice, "... to the 
altar, how do can we convince them to say 'I do?' They may not feel 
they're ready."

"I overheard Akane admitting she loves Ranma and there is plenty of 
evidence that he loves her," Genma answered.

"I also got a plan that will insure they will agree," Soun added.

Akane flung the door open violently. "Just what do you think you're 
doing?!?" she screamed.

The three scheming parents started to sweat nervously.

"Now Akane, Dear," Soun began. He stood up and exited the room, 
shutting the door behind him. "We are planning your wedding with 
Ranma."

"Aren't I suppose to at least have some say in this?" she snarled.

"This is for the betterment of our clans that you two marry. And, to 
stop all the troubles Ranma has concerning fiancees and such. We felt 
it would be best to get you two married."

"How about how I feel?"

"Akane, you can't hide from me that you love him. And if you want 
assurances that he'll marry you..." He then whispers into her ear, 
"...my present to you two is a case of Nannichaun the Jusenkyo guide 
has sent. He'll only get it once you two are married."

Akane stood there fuming. <How dare he try to manipulate me? I don't 
care if I want to marry Ranma, he shouldn't force me to... But, this 
might solve his problems with the girls and he would get cured. If 
nothing else, this might get him to stop thinking about Jusendo and 
Saffron.>

Akane closed her eyes tightly. "Fine. I'll marry him," she said 
angrily. She stomped off.

Nabiki had overheard Akane. She wondered how her father got her to 
agree.

-----------------------------
**********************

Ranma walked into his room and felt a large blunt instrument impact 
his skull.

Ranma awoke to a shock. "Wh... what the!!!" He was wearing a white 
suit.

"Well, Akane approved the marriage," Soun said.

"Huh?" Ranma uttered.

"We swear it's the truth," Genma added.

"You look so handsome, Ranma," Nodoka cried with joy.

Ranma ran into Akane's room. "Hey, Akane!!"

"Ranma," Akane said, looking more beautiful than Ranma ever thought 
she could. She was wearing a western wedding dress.

Ranma stared at her in shock. "Ah... um..."  He started shaking.

"Maybe a Japanese dress was better," Akane said, wondering at his 
reaction.

"N... no. I think in either... you're... cute," Ranma said blushing.

"Really? Thank you."

----------------------------
*

"A wedding invitation? Hm..." Ryoga sighed sadly.

"Akane, I'm going on a journey now." He looked up to the sky. "I will 
pray for you to be happy."

Ryoga started to wander away. "I'm sorry, Akari. My gifts for you have 
passed their expiration date." He pictured how Akari looked like in 
his mind.

----------------------------
*

Neither of Ranma nor Akane could think of something to say. They were 
both extremely nervous. After a long moment, they knelt on the floor 
as their legs grew tired.

Ranma broke the silence as he stammered, "Uh... um..."

"Yes..."

"Why did you... all of a sudden want to marry me?"

"Well... Ranma... you love me."

"Huh?" Ranma uttered, shocked. "Wh... what are you talking about?"

Akane was a little shocked at his reaction. "But while you were crying 
at Jusendo..."

Ranma thought for a moment trying to remember if he did say it. "I 
didn't say that!!!" he shouted.

"You practically did!!" Akane yelled back.

"What!? You wanna go at it!!" Ranma said, wanting to start a fight to 
stop the wedding.

Akane calmly said, "Fine, you don't have to go through with this if 
you don't want to, but you'll regret it." She finished glaring at him.

"Huh?" Ranma emitted, shocked.

----------------------------
*

Nabiki saw her father hide what looked to be a case of sake. "Do you 
really need to hide that from Ranma?"

"Ha... the Jusenkyo guide sent enough Nannichaun for one, so until the 
two are married, I won't give Ranma the Nannichaun!" Soun elated.

"So that's how you convinced Akane," Nabiki said.

"Now Tendo... why did you hide it from me too?" Genma asked.

Life drained from Soun's face as he sensed trouble.

"Did you think I would take it? It's mine!" Genma ran off with the 
case of Nannichaun.

The case flew out of Genma's hands as the wall next to him exploded.

"Where am I?!" Ryoga shouted from the new doorway.

Hearing the commotion Mousse went to make sure nothing would go wrong. 
"Hey, Akane and Ranma! Hurry up and get married before you change your 
minds."

"Nannichaun!" Ryoga shouted seeing the flying case.

----------------------------
*

Upstairs Ranma ran out of Akane's room. "What! There's Nannichaun! Why 
didn't you tell me, Stupid!!!" Ranma shouted.

Akane glared angrily at him as he left.

Ranma found his way blocked by Shampoo and Ukyou as they threw 
exploding food at him.

"Aiya! I was aiming for Akane!" Shampoo said angrily.

"I still have lots of special celebration Okonomiyaki for you!" Ukyou 
shouted, looking ready to kill.

"Darling, are you all right?" Kodachi asked, wearing a black wedding 
dress.

"Aiya! Kodachi!" Shampoo said.

"She's got some nerve!" Ukyou snarled.

Ranma quickly jumped from where he lay as Kuno attacked with a katana. 
"How dare you proceed with this wedding without Kuno Tatewaki's 
permission!?" Kuno wave a paper fan with reject written on it. "I will 
not allow it!!"

"You idiot!! I don't have time for this." Ranma dodged Kuno's attacks. 
One of his dodges caused him to trip on a bucket filled with water, 
splashing him.

"Pig-tailed goddess! You must marry me this instant!" 

Ranma replied by punching him in the face.

----------------------------
*

"Nabiki! You sent out all the wedding invitations, didn't you!!" Akane 
shouted angrily.

"But look!" Nabiki held a large stack of envelopes.

"My! Look at all the celebration money!" Kasumi said.

----------------------------
*

Mousse, Ryoga and Genma continued to fight for the Nannichaun. It flew 
away from them as the seal broke. The Nannichaun threatened to spill 
all over the ground.

Ranma arrived in time to see it starting to fall. "Nannichaun!" she 
shouted.

"Ooh! Sake!!" Happosai shouted as he downed the Nannichaun in one 
large gulp.

The cursed men looked at the sight in shock and horror.

"What the hell!! It's just water!!" Happosai smashed the empty case in anger.

"He drank it... all," Ranma said in disbelief.

The cursed men attacked Happosai, trying to get him to induce 
vomiting.

"Cough it up!" Ranma said angrily.

"Where is it!!" shouted Genma.

"Happo Dai Karin!!!!" Happosai shouted, releasing his fire bomb 
attack.

The blast left Ranma unconscious, which Ukyou and Shampoo moved to try 
to help him.

Ryoga sat to the side, crying.

"Tendo Akane! We must be wed!" Kuno shouted earning Akane's foot into 
his face.

"Hehe! My young bride!" Happosai gleefully said, clutching onto 
Akane's wedding dress.

"Ranma-sama! Someday!" Kodachi shouted.

"My how busy!" Kasumi said.

With the Nannichaun gone, the groom unconscious, and several people 
violently opposed to the wedding present forced Soun to do something 
he really didn't want to. He called off the wedding.

----------------------------
*

Soun sat at the dinner table talking to Ranma and Akane. "Well, 
because of all this... we're putting off the wedding until we can get 
all of our affairs in order."

"You know if you just..." Akane said.

Ranma interrupted, "This is all your fault."

*********************
----------------------------

Ranma lay on the roof of the Tendo home, staring into the night sky. 
He didn't want to be reminded about his fiancee problems, and yet they 
came roaring into his face. He wanted to sort out his guilty conscious 
concerning his actions at Jusendo and they just wanted him.

<Why? Why? Why?> Ranma wondered. <Why did they have to force a 
wedding? Why was Akane willing to marry me? Could it really be just 
because she believes I love her? Was she willing because of the 
Nannichaun? Or does she want to marry me because she loves me?>

Ranma balled his hand into a fist. <They could have at least asked me 
if I wanted to get married. I would've told them I wasn't ready. I'm 
only seventeen and still in high school. I shouldn't even be engaged. 
Everyone wants me to get married to one person or another. A year and 
a half ago I've never stayed anywhere long, and now they're fighting 
over where I'm spending the rest of my life and they're aren't asking 
me. I should have a say in this. I do have five choices.>

Ranma counted on his fingers. <Well, four choices. Kodachi isn't a 
choice. I could choose Shampoo, which would leave me as a guy in a 
female dominant society and I'd have to deal with being related to the 
old ghoul. That's not a real good choice there. I could choose Ukyou, 
but she's more of a sister to me. I could choose as my parents want. 
Akane isn't a bad choice, but I wish she'd listen to me and trusted me 
more. She can get so angry at me while I've done nothing wrong. I 
could choose none of the above and leave, but I don't want to do 
that.>

<Akane did look cute in that wedding dress.> Ranma sighed. <Why did I 
deny I love her? I think I do. I've done so many things for her and it 
hurt so much when I thought she was dead. I didn't think I could feel 
such pain over losing anyone. I should've just told her I love her, 
but then I'd probably be married now.>

Ranma rolled over and looked towards where Akane should be. <Does 
Akane love me? Her willing to marry me had to be more than just 
because she thinks I love her. If she loves me, why does she poison 
me, insult me, and hit me? Well, I guess she is trying to learn how to 
cook, I insult her too, and she hits me when I've gone too far or when 
she's jealous. If she acts jealous when the other girls show affection 
to me, doesn't that mean she loves me or at least wants to show that 
kind of affection.>

----------------------------

Akane sat in her bed curled up into a ball. She didn't know what to 
feel or who to be mad at. Today she almost got married, but everything 
went wrong and nothing went right. 

<Why aren't I mad at Ranma?> Akane wondered. <He denied he loves me 
when I know he does. What happened at Jusendo was undeniable. The 
things he did and how he reacted were for someone he loves, and not 
just a friend. Yet, he tried to stop the wedding by starting a fight 
with me. Talk about cold feet.>

Akane sighed. <Maybe it's because I think he's right. The wedding 
disaster is, in part, my fault for not telling him sooner about the 
Nannichaun. If I had, he might have found it and gotten cured. I used 
his cure to bribe him into marrying me. Am I any better than Shampoo, 
now, because I did that?>

Akane cracked her knuckles. <I will have to have a little talk with 
Nabiki about her part in the disaster. If she hadn't invited everyone 
in Nerima, I would be married now. Not to mention Uncle Saotome had 
his own part in this. He wants Ranma to marry me, but took the 
Nannichaun because he wanted the cure for himself. If that selfish 
idiot had half a brain, he'd have defended the Nannichaun to insure it 
could be used to bribe Ranma.>

Akane's face took on a look of determination. <There is one thing I 
could do, I can make sure that Ranma marries me. I can find a way to 
remove his other fiancee's claims. Ranma will marry me!>

----------------------------

Ukyou lay in her bed thinking over the day. <Why did those jackasses 
plan a wedding? Ranchan doesn't want to marry Akane, and they should 
realize that. He would never be truly happy with her.>

Ukyou shut her eyes tightly. <Is Konatsu right in saying I might have 
ruined friendship for attacking him while I was trying to attack 
Akane? Why did I do that in the first place? Akane is my friend, and 
she was probably being forced into it, too. I should have just 
prevented the minister from arriving. Well, then they'd go with a 
Shinto ceremony. That wouldn't work, since it's a long complex 
ceremony, and someone would stop it at some point. I shouldn't have 
attacked them. I should of thought of another way of stopping it.>

"I'm sorry Ranchan. Please forgive me," Ukyou said tearfully.

----------------------------
Author's notes: 

Why a volume 0? I already wrote a volume 1 of this series that occurs 
a month later, but some characterizations needed to be explained. Also 
Manga volume 38 caused a lot of changes in the Ranmaverse, shattering 
the status quo. Ryoga giving up on Akane and Akane believing Ranma is 
in love with her being the biggest changes. 

The translation of the wedding scene is close to being accurate. I do 
own a copy of manga volume 38 so the action described is correct. (I 
really wish I could read Japanese.) The deleted scenes if Shampoo and
Ukyou lying to Mousse/Konatsu about letting the wedding happen, while 
they prepare their explosive food.

Any C&C on this is appreciated as this is RAAC bound in a week or two.






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