I'm posting this so people new to the FFML or people who have just
plain forgotten about it can read this and be familiar with it when they
read the new chapter 4 I am about to post.
(it's been 2 years, so I don't think it quite counts as SPAM)
The Pursuit of Happiness
Chapter 1
Formerly titled:
Love's Truth
By Exar, A.K.A. Ben Jernigan
selfemployedninja@gmail.com
http://www.florestica.com/exar/index.htm
Revised May 13, 2005
_________________
Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz. In no
way is this a claim to these characters. I make no money
from this.
_________________
Ranma sat daydreaming in class, doing his best to look like
he was paying attention, while in his head reviewing various
aspects of this morning's workout, new ideas for the training
trip he wanted to take over the next school break, and the
galatic adventures of some gaijin spaceman named Spiff.
The zargulon lasers spraying the rocks around Spiff resolved
themselves alarmingly into an eraser flying at Ranma's head.
Apparently, his best wasn't all that great.
Ranma snatched the eraser out of the air while mentally
making a note to polish his acting skills.
"Yes, sensei?"
"So you are paying that much attention, at least. Very
well, Mr. Saotome, since you have clearly been listening
to my lecture on American goverment, what three things are
inalienable rights of every man, according to the US
Declaration of Independence?
"Um... Beer, Guns and Cars?"
"No, Mr. Saotome. And I quote: 'We hold these truths to
be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that
they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable
Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit
of Happiness.'"
"I encourage you to contemplate that statement while you
get your buckets, Mr. Saotome."
"Awww..."
_________________
"WHERE ON EARTH AM I NOW?!?!?"
Ryoga Hibiki was lost. As is his habit, he cried out to
the heavens from time to time, in the hopes of getting an
answer. This time he did.
"You in back alley behind Cat Cafe, stupid pig boy."
"Shampoo? Then that means... I'm back in Tokyo!! Shampoo!
Which way to the Tendo Dojo?"
"Later. First, important talking."
"Huh?"
"Hurry up, come in. Shampoo explain."
________________
Elsewhere, a familiar couple made their way home from
school.
"I can't believe you wouldn't even try the cake I made
for you. I worked hard on that!"
"Sorry, Akane, I just couldn't bear to destroy that perfect
a frizbee."
"So that's why you gave it to Daisuke! To use as a discus?!"
"Yeah, he's on the track team, and that heavy of a discus
will really help him practice."
"Rannnmmmaaa..."
"YOU JERK!!!"
*PUNT*
_________________
"You want me to do what?"
"Ask violent girl out on date. Today."
"B-b-b-ut I don't know, d-d-dating? That's a big step, I
mean, you know..." Ryoga trailed off lamely as he twisted
his hands in angst.
"Shampoo help you with special technique."
"What technique?"
Shampoo takes out a scroll that is dusty, and apparently
quite old.
"Get scroll from Great-Grandmother. It talk about shiatsu
Casanova Point. After press, Ryoga can ask any girl out."
"Thank you, Shampoo! How can I repay you?"
"Just ask out Akane. While you date her, Shampoo have
Ranma to own self."
"Done!"
Shampoo opened the scroll, frowned at it for a moment,
then reached out and poked Ryoga's throat.
He immediatly began to choke and thrash about on the
floor.
"Aiyah! That wrong spot!"
She quickly pressed the point again, relieving Ryoga's
sudden problem.
"Maybe- *GASP* -you should study it some more, first."
"No, Shampoo see where she go wrong. This right spot."
Shampoo again poked Ryoga's neck, a little to the right
of her last target.
"Did it work? I don't feel any different."
Shampoo stared at Ryoga. His voice had dropped half an
octave, and his nervous smile had somehow shifted into
Ranma's trademark smirk.
"Shampoo think so."
"Great! Akane, here I come!"
Ryoga leapt to his feet and ran out the door, laughing
in what was supposed to be a maniacal fashion, but somehow,
still managed to be sexy.
A moment later, he walked out of the bathroom with a
sheepish, but cute look on his face.
"Could you point me to the way out?"
"Shampoo do better than that. She go visit Ranma now.
You follow, yes?"
_________________
*WHAM*
"Geez, she didn't have to hit me so hard. Oh, well, I got
home faster. I wonder if Kasumi has anything to eat."
Ranma peeled himself out of the new Ranma-shaped depression
in the roof, and jumped down into the Tendo's yard.
Unfortunately, he landed on a large beach ball, bouncing
directly into the koi pond.
Heaving a sigh and muttering something about fate and pandas,
he pulled himself out.
"I swear that fish has better reflexes than me. Hey, Kasumi?
Are you home?"
"Yes, Ranma. I'm in the kitchen. Where's Akane?"
"She's still on her way home."
"Oh. Well, I guess that explains the splash. What happened?"
Kasumi went to the stove and got the kettle that she always
heated up at this time of day, and poured some of it over
Ranma.
"She baked a cake for me in Home Ec. today. It was inedible
as usual, but it was perfectly balanced and made a great
frizbee. I ended up giving it to Daisuke for him to
practice with."
"Oh. Is he on the track team?"
"Yeah. I figured that a discus as heavy as that would be
great for him train on."
"That was very kind of you, Ranma. But you did it in front
of Akane, right?"
"Right."
"If you ever want to get along with her, you really need
to learn to think before you act."
"I know, but it's so hard. I've never had to think before
I did anything before. It's really tough to have to start
now."
"That's not true. You have to think before you act in a
fight."
"No I don't. If I did, I wouldn't win."
"What do you mean?"
"In a fight, if I took the time t'think about what I was
doin', I'd have already lost the fight. If I need to think,
I use the Saotome secret technique."
"Oh. But this isn't martial arts, it's life."
"Martial arts IS my life, Kasumi, I'm not smart like you or
nothin'. All I got goin' for me is my Art."
"Don't say that Ranma, you're very smart. And if you wanted
to, you could do lots of things besides martial arts."
"If you say so, Kasumi."
"I do say so. So why don't you use the secret technique with
Akane?"
"What are you talkin' about?"
"Why don't you get away from her and think before you react
to her?"
"Get serious. I can't run from a girl. Besides, she'd just
chase me."
"Then why can't you just talk to her?"
"You mean besides the times she hits me before I can say
anything? I dunno. I just can't talk to girls."
"You're talking to me just fine."
"But you're you!"
Ranma seemed to realize that this was not the most
intelligible answer, so he tried again.
"I mean, you don't wanna marry me, or kill me, or somethin'.
I can trust you."
"And you don't trust Akane?"
"Well, sorta, I guess. She sure doesn't trust me, tho!"
"Ranma, she just doesn't know how to express her feelings,
she really does like you a lot."
"I'd like to think so, but she almost never acts like it.
I don't mind her, much, but she really doesn't make it
easy for me."
"Oh."
A thoughtful silence decends upon the Tendo kitchen for
a time. Finally, Ranma speaks up.
"Kasumi, um, thanks."
"Whatever for?"
"Listenin' to me an' being my friend. I think you're
the only real friend I've got."
"Don't say that. You have friends, what about Ryoga,
and Ukyo?"
"Ryoga? I'd like to be his friend, but he blames
everythin' that ever went wrong in his life on me, even
when I had nothin' to do with it. Ukyo still freaks me
out by suddenly bein' a girl! 'Sides, she's after me
as much as Shampoo."
"I'm sorry, Ranma, I didn't know. I didn't realize that
someone with four fianc�s could be lonely."
"Funny, ain't it?"
"No."
"Thanks, Kasumi."
"You're welcome, Ranma. Well, I've got to get dinner
started. Why don't you see if Akane is home yet?"
"Sure."
_____________________
*Knock, Knock*
"Akane?"
"Go away, Ranma, I don't want to see you now."
"Akane, it's Ryoga."
"Oh, sorry I yelled at you. Come in."
Ryoga sauntered in the doorway, seeming to strut
standing still. Akane stared as he flashed a million-
dollar smile and sat down on the bed
next to her.
"Akane, I need to ask you something."
"What's that?"
He grasped her hand gently, while looking directly
into her eyes.
"Will you go to dinner with me tonight?"
"What?"
_______________________
Ranma walked up the stairs with a thoughtful expression
on his face. Akane's shoes had been at the door, and she
wasn't in the dojo, so she must be up in her room. As he
walked to her door, he heard voices inside.
"What?"
"I said, 'Will you go to dinner with me tonight?'"
"S-sure, Ryoga. That sounds fun."
"Great! I've got reservations at a nice place downtown."
"That sounds good to me. What should I wear?"
"Oh, dress casual."
Ranma's danger sense went off as someone leaped at him
from behind. He twisted quickly throwing up his hands
to guard himself- and found himself with two handfuls
of Shampoo's bosom. She giggled and threw her arms
around him.
"Airen, you so forward!"
Unfortunately, her glomp hit him off-balance, and
carried them both into the door, pushing it open and
spilling them onto Akane's floor.
_______________________
Akane's mind was in a whirl. Ryoga liked her? He was
asking her out? Was THAT why Ranma picked on him all
the time? Or was poor Ryoga being used by one of the
fiancees again? Only one way to find out.
"S-sure, Ryoga. That sounds fun."
At the least, she could have a good time with someone
who could admit to liking her.
"Great! I've got reservations at a nice place downtown."
"That sounds good to me. What should I wear?"
Besides, maybe Ranma will get jealous! This is a win-win
situation, she thought.
Then the door to her room swung open, and Ranma and
Shampoo rolled in through the passage. She was hugging
him tightly, and his hands...
"RANMA!! How dare you do that with Shampoo! And in my
room, no less. You pervert!!"
Akane reached behind her and pulled out a bucket of
cold water, which she promptly threw at Ranma and
Shampoo. Suddenly, a female Ranma was on the floor,
attempting to get the cat off of her shoulder.
"Shampoo, get off of him! Ranma, HOW COULD YOU!?! Get
out of my room!! I can't belive you would do this! Ranma,
you JERK!"
With a mighty yell, she kicked Ranma out the door, causing
him to ricochet down the hall with Shampoo hanging on for
dear life.
"Ryoga, I'm sorry. I can't believe that jerk would do that
to me. Let's go now, before he can bother us again, okay?"
"As you wish," he said. He then opened the door and held
it for her, sending a sauve smile her way.
"After you, Akane."
As they walked into the hall, moving towards the stairs,
they heard a scuffle behind them.
"Get it away! Somebody get this cat offa me!", shrieked
Ranma as he dashed back up the hall, flailing his arms
ineffectually.
Ryoga let go of Akane's hand, reached out and smoothly
pulled the cat off of Ranma's back.
"Anything you say, Ranma."
He wanted to say more, something about Ranma's eyes, but
his face was suddenly covered by a furious ball of purple
fur.
Akane fumed, then turned her glare to a (temporarily)
relieved Ranma.
"What is wrong with you, you pervert? First you time to
play some kind of kinky sex game with Shampoo in MY room,
then you let her hurt poor Ryoga!"
Ranma looked at Akane in growing confusion, glancing at
Ryoga, who now had a streak of purple orbiting him at high
velocity, with splashes of blood and tatters of clothing
flying in random directions.
"You really think that's what I was doing?"
"You're not trying to deny it, are you? It was obvious to
anyone who looked what you two were up to! I saw where your
hands were, you freak!"
Ranma's voice was growing calmer, and an odd look appeared
in his eye.
"And you didn't see me trying to get away from her?"
"Getting away? I saw you getting off, like the pervert you
are! You enjoy her throwing herself at you like that!"
Ranma's voice was past calm now, almost cold.
"And you feel justified getting mad at me for it, even as
you were leaving for a date with Ryoga?"
Akane's face flushed red with guilt, but she only grew
angrier.
"Of course! We weren't going to do anything perverted like
you!"
"I see. And did it ever occur to you that I tried to avoid
Shampoo because of our engagement?"
"Oh, does cheating on your fiancee make your conscience
quiver? Fine, I break the engagement! Go canoodle with
Shampoo all you want!"
Ranma's cold front cracked, and his hands balled into fists
unwittingly, outwardly betraying his inward battle to
control his anger. Akane's eyes widened as she belately
noticed that Ranma wasn't acting normal.
<Is he getting angry for once? Could he have actually meant
what he said? No way! I know what I saw! But still...>
"Akane, if that's what you really want, you win."
Ranma turned and ran down the stairs, then on out of the
house.
Akane's anger fled as realized that he sounded like he
meant it.
______________________
Soun Tendo peeked around a corner. Seeing nothing threatening,
he walked slowly into the hallway and up the stairs
Before him lay a strange sight.
The Hibiki boy, laying on the floor, naked and bleeding.
Akane, sitting on the floor, crying softly.
A small camp stove, with a kettle on it, in the middle of
the floor.
And finally, Shampoo, struggling into her too-tight pants.
He went to Akane and asked her what was wrong. Her only
response was to sniffle and say "He's gone.". He quickly
picked her up, carried her into her room, and gently laid
her on the bed. He grabbed a blanket and threw it over
Ryoga's form, then turned and looked at Shampoo, preparing
to unleash the dreaded Demon Head attack.
But she was already long gone.
______________________
Ranma sat on the roof.
Normally, this was something he enjoyed doing. He often came
up here to look at the stars, to daydream, or just to get a
little peace.
Tonight, he was doing none of the above.
What he was doing was crying. He'd just had his heart broken,
after all. He was alone, and glad of it, because, in his
current mood, he would probably have killed any witnesses
to this show of emotion.
______________________
Nabiki was relaxing in her room, reading a manga. It was a
romantic comedy, one of her favorites. Out of habit, she
glanced at her stereo/surveillance system. Currently, two
of the meters were jiggling, showing that there was noise
in the dining room, and on the roof.
<The roof?..>
Realizing who the most likely person to be making noise on
the roof was, she put on her headphones and turned that
channel up. Maybe she would hear something that would let
her figure out what Akane and Ranma's fight was about
today. It had seemed a little more vicous than normal.
To say that she was surprised by what she heard would be
an understatement.
"He's... crying? I've never heard him cry. EVER. This is
big. I gotta talk to Akane."
If Akane had done something that would chase Ranma away,
it could cost Nabiki a lot of money.
At least that's what she told herself.
______________________
"Akane? Are you in there?"
"Go'way."
"Akane, what happened? Ranma is really upset. He's crying
on the roof."
Akane sat up in bed, where she had been laying and feeling
sorry for herself. He was crying? He never cried. Wait... he
only went up on the roof? He must not have really meant it.
She was safe.
"So? It's not my fault."
"Akane, don't you think you ought to talk to him? I think
you hurt him bad."
"I don't care! That pervert had it coming!"
<Hmph. I'll let him stew overnight, then talk to him
tomorrow. He'll be so glad to see me by then, I won't have
to apologize. Not that I really need to.>
"I think you're making a mistake here, Akane, but he's your
fiance. Good night."
______________________
"Airen?"
"Shampoo, *snif* please. Not now."
Denying her attempt at a hug, Ranma turned his back to
Shampoo. Her inability to see his tears was only a convenient
side effect.
"No! Shampoo take Airen on date. Make him feel better."
"Shampoo, that would make you feel better, not me."
Shampoo's eyes widened, hearing a touch of bitterness in Ranma's
voice.
"All right. But Shampoo stay here. Be with Airen in hard time."
"Shampoo, please. I just wanna be alone. I'll take you to a movie
or somethin' later, but not right now."
"Shampoo hold you to promise. Wo ai ni."
With that, she bounded off into the sunset.
______________________
Nabiki had a hard time getting back into her manga after talking
to Akane. She kept glancing over at her stereo. She began to
wonder how many tears the boy had in him.
After half an hour of this, she got up and walked downstairs.
She found her sister dusting something that, to Nabiki at least,
appeared to be perfectly clean.
"Kasumi, something's wrong."
"Oh? What?"
"Ranma. He's up on the roof, and he's been bawling his eyes
out for a half-hour now. Akane won't go talk to him, and I'm-
well I'm a little worried about him, but I'm no good at
sympathizing and stuff. So.. could you?", she trailed off,
gesturing upward.
"Of course. Just help me get the ladder out."
______________________
Kasumi climbed the ladder quickly, and levered herself the
final distance up onto the roof. She envied Ranma's ability
to simply jump up here.
She slowly walked towards Ranma, taking care not to slip.
She stopped about five feet from him.
"Ranma?"
"Lemmme alone, Ka- *snif* Kasumi. I don't wanna see anyone
right now."
"Don't you mean you don't want anyone seeing you cry?"
Ranma's head whipped up in indignation, "I ain't crying!
Guys don't cry, dammit!"
"You're right, Ranma, guys don't cry. Men do. Men aren't
afraid of their own emotions, or what people think of them."
"I- I ain't afraid of nothin'!"
"So are you sure you aren't crying?"
Ranma's shoulders slumped, and when he spoke again, it
was in a very small voice.
"You're right, I'm crying. Happy now?"
"No. Of course not. You're hurting. What happened?"
"Ryoga asked Akane out. I was outside her door when he
did. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I was just going
to her room to try to make peace after she got home."
"Did you try to stop him?"
"No. I didn't get a chance. She said yes, then Shampoo
came outta nowhere and tackled me. We ended up on the
floor in Akane's room."
"Oh, my. I can see how that would make her mad."
"Yeah, well. She didn't give me a chance to explain,
like always, but instead threw water on us. Then she
kicked me out of her room and down the hall. I couldn't
get Shampoo off in time. I guess she was scared or
somethin', and she set her claws and held on."
"And you were scared."
"Yeah. Then Akane and Ryoga walked out of her room. He
pulled Shampoo off me, but then Akane laid into me."
Ranma sighed and continued.
"She blamed me for messin' up her date, and accused me
of wantin' to do... stuff... with Shampoo in her room.
I tried to tell her that I wouldn't do that, 'specially
when I'm engaged to her, but she was so mad she broke
off the engagement, again, and refused to listen to me.
"Oh, dear."
"I just up and walked out. I hurt so bad, though. She
doesn't trust me, she hates me, and I'm tired of it."
"She didn't mean it, she was just upset."
"I can't believe that. She means it. Why else would she
say it time and time again? I -sorta- cared for her. That's
why it hurt. But I've had enough. I can't- won't take that
crap anymore. It's not worth it."
He grew visibly more angry with each statement. The last
came out as a snarl.
Calming, he continued.
"I've been thinkin' about something I heard in school
today. 'Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness'."
"From the Declaration of Independence."
"Yeah, that. Anyway, I been thinkin', I'm sure as hell
not happy, so maybe I should start pursuing it."
"I'm sorry, Ranma. I think Akane would be, too, if her
pride would let her be."
"Her pride is no longer my problem. She broke the
engagement again, but for once I agree. I'm breaking it
from my end, too."
"I see. Our fathers aren't going to be happy about that."
"I know. I gotta find a way to satisfy honor."
Silence reigned for a moment as the two chewed over their
thoughts.
"If the family honor means I'm gonna be miserable for the
rest of my life, then it can go jump off a pier. I've
suffered enough for honor."
"What will you do?"
"I dunno. Probably just leave. Renounce my name, so I don't
have to worry about fiances, or debts, or my mom. Then go
looking for happiness somewhere else. I don't wanna marry
anyone who's chasing me now, anyway. Shampoo would have me
be her "househusband" when we got back to the amazon village,
Ucchan, hell- I still think of her as a guy! I'd just as
soon marry Ryoga. Kodachi's nuts. Akane- well, she hates me."
"I see. Those are problems."
"Yeah. Thing is, I wanna see my mom again. I miss her- a
lot. But if I reject my name, I'll never get to be her son."
He paused for a moment, then continued, "Hey... Kasumi- I
got an idea, but I need your help."
"What is it?"
"Well, it like this; I'll give honor one last chance. The
agreement said a Tendo daughter. It don't have to be Akane."
"Oh, my. You mean, me?"
"Yeah. We get along, right? Way better than me and Akane,
at least. We just try it out, and if we don't, well- hit
it off, I leave, and never come back."
"What about Nabiki?"
"How'd ya know I was up here tonight? S'okay, you don't
gotta answer. I couldn't live with that. I gotta have some
privacy."
"Well, I really don't want to see you abandon your name,
Ranma, and of course I want to keep my family's honor
intact. I guess my answer is yes."
"I suppose it would be too much to ask that one of your
reasons be fondness for me, too."
"Don't be silly, Ranma. I wouldn't agree if I didn't at
least like you."
"Good. I've had enough of forcing myself on women who
hate me."
"So.. financees?", Ranma said, holding out his hand to
Kasumi.
"Fiancees," she replied, and shook his hand. She softly
sat down beside him.
Ranma leaned back carefully and relaxed. After talking
things through, he felt much better, and was able to look
at the stars and again appriciate their beauty. He felt
Kasumi lay back beside him, stil holding his hand.
"Do you know where any constellations are, Kasumi?"
"Yes."
She pointed up and showed him fanciful animals and mythic
men. They stayed there and watched the stars until late at
night. Kasumi worried only briefly about her interrupted
dusting.
_____________________
Inside, Nabiki had a worried look on her face.
"Akane's not gonna like this..."
_____________________
End Chapter 1
Pusuit of Happiness
By Ben Jernigan
selfemployedninja@gmail.com
_______________________
Revision Notes: I removed the cat-fist scene as I felt it
was too contrived, and that the cat fist itself is too
much of a fanfic cliche (especially in Ranma/Kasumi fics.
weird, huh?). Hopefully, the new scene flows a bit better
and seems more natural. I'm trying hard to keep everyone
in character as much as I can. The only people I want OOC
are Ranma (more introspective, and tired of the crap), and
Kasumi (having a personality at all, beyond the charicature
of the perfect housewife). It's tough to keep Akane in
character, but I think I've managed to avoid the fanfic
cliche pitfall of the "demonic Akane" who can do no right.
My Akane is quick tempered and immature, but she does love
Ranma, and will learn from her mistakes. Will it be in
time? I'm not telling.
Pursuit of Happiness
Chapter 2
Formerly Titled:
Love's Truth
By Exar A.K.A. Ben Jernigan
selfemployedninja@gmail.com
_______________________
Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz, not me. This
story is in no way a claim to these characters. I make no
money from this.
_______________________
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are
created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with
certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty
and the pursuit of Happiness.
_______________________
Ranma knocked on the door, just below the wooden duck bearing
Akane's name.
"Come in."
Ranma opened the door and entered, attempting and failing to
be appear casual.
"What do you want, Ranma?" said Akane, not turning from where
she sat at her desk.
"Umm... I need to talk to you, Akane," he stammered.
"Okay. Go ahead," she said, turning around to face him.
<God she's beautiful.Why'd I ever call her uncute?>
Ranma stood silent for a moment, trying to speak,
unsuccessfully.
"Well? Talk already, you idiot!"
<No! I'm tryin' to tell her I love her! I won't fight!> Ranma
thought as he clenched
his hands into fists.
"Akane, I-I love you. I have for a while now." <There. I
said it!>
Akane rocked back in her seat with a stunned expression on
her face.
Which changed quickly into amusement.
"You love me? That's the funniest thing I've ever heard!
Don't you get it? I hate you! I never wanted to be engaged
to you, and would never marry you! I've tried everything I
could think of to get rid of you since you first got here!
Hitting you several times a day, cooking nuclear waste,
sabotaging your cures and your relationships with your other
fiancees, but nothing's worked! And now you say you love me?
THAT'S PATHETIC!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!!"
Ranma grabbed his head in his hands and screamed, "NOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
_______________________
Ranma sat up in bed, grabbed his head in his hands and
screamed, "NOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
Ranma looked around wildly, trying to see in all directions at
once. "It was only a dream."
He settled back into his covers, thinking wildly. <Only a dream,
only a dream, only a dream, Akane doesn't hate me. Akane
doesn't... Ah, crap...> Memories of the previous night crashed
down on Ranma. <She does hate me. Oh, god, I'm depressed.>
"Akane..." He said wistfully, staring at the ceiling.
He read a sign saying, "Quiet, boy.", as it swooped through its
arc and smashed into his face.
_______________________
Kasumi woke with a smile on her face. She had breakfast all
planned out, and all she had to do was cook it. The hard part,
the planning and preperation, was already done. She rose and
walked to the bathroom, knocking on the door to the bath, just
to be sure it was empty. She set down the clothes she'd brought
from her room, and pulled off her nightgown. She folded it
carefully, then placed it next to her clothes. She went into
the bath, scrubbed and washed in the cold water, then got into
the hot bathtup to soak.
As she sat in the tub, she mentally went over her plans for the
day. First, to fix breakfast for everyone, then make lunches
for Nabiki, Akane, and Ranma... Ranma. The events of the previous
night came barreling out of the shady corners of her memory and
took up position in the forefront of her mind.
"Oh, my, I'm engaged now."
"I suppose I'll have to fix Ranma a special lunch today."
_______________________
Ranma awoke some time later. His father was still asleep, which
suited him fine. He was so wound up, if he'd had to spar with
the panda this morning, he probably would've pounded him into
next week.
After hurrying through his morning bath, he joined Kasumi in the
kitchen.
"Mornin', Kasumi. Is Akane up yet?"
"Yes, Ranma, I think she's out jogging.", Kasumi replied as she
poured a spoonful of soup into a tasting dish.
"Okay. I think I'm gonna go catch her. I wanna talk to her
away from everyone else."
"That's a good idea. Try not to hurt her feelings, alright?"
"I'll try, but no promises."
As Ranma left, Kasumi sipped at the broth and decided it needed
more salt.
_______________________
"Yo, Akane! Wait up!"
Akane turned and glanced over her shoulder. There was Ranma,
running to catch up to her. Her first thought was to stop
and wait for him, then she remembered that she was supposed
to be mad at him.
"Why would I do that?"
"Geez, Akane, what'cha mad about now?", he said as he caught
up to her.
"As if you have to ask!" Akane huffed as she crossed her arms
showed him her back.
"Yes, I have to ask, 'cause you never tell me!"
Ranma reached out, intent on grabbing her shoulder, but checked
the motion as she whirled around.
"You were groping Shampoo in my room, and you let her beat up
poor Ryoga! That's why I'm mad!"
She stood firmly, with her hands on her hips, in the classic
pose of a woman lambasting her man.
"Shampoo tackled me, like she always does, and I'm not in
control of Shampoo."
"That doesn't change the fact that you still let her hurt him."
"Why do you care so much about that guy? You don't seem to
mind when he beats the tar outta me.", Ranma said in a
slightly hurt voice.
"Because he's not a pervert like YOU! Besides, why should I
care about you?"
Ranma clenched his fists and visibly controlled his growing
anger.
"Good! If you don't care about me, then this'll be easier!",
Ranma all but shouted.
"What are you talking about?"
"We ain't engaged anymore. You broke it from your end, I'm
breakin' it from mine. I'm engaged to Kasumi now."
"Good! I feel sorry for her, but I'm glad I don't have to deal
with you anymore!", Akane said heatedly.
Biting back an oath, Ranma spun on his heel and leapt away,
hoping she hadn't seen his tears.
_______________________
Kasumi was putting the finishing touches on breakfast when
Ranma walked in.
"I told her."
Kasumi looked up from the rice she was putting into a serving
dish.
"And?"
Ranma walked up to her and leaned on the counter next to her,
stopping only long enough to snag a lump of rice at
chestnut-fist speed, earning a knuckle-rap almost as fast.
"Ow!"
"Wait to eat with the rest of us. So what happened?"
With a longsuffering sigh, he slumped back against the cupboard
and spoke.
"She said she felt sorry for you, but that she was happy the
engagement was over."
Kasumi sighed. "Somehow, I doubt it."
Ranma straightened and opened the cupboard he had been leaning
against.
"Yeah, well, that's her problem. Wanna hand setting the table?"
Kasumi replied positively, and Ranma started pulling dishes
from the shelves.
"I've been wanting to try this for a while.", Ranma said as
he threw the dishes into the air.
"Oh, my! What are you doing with my plates, Ranma?"
As he juggled a score or more plates, cups, bowls and chopsticks
in the air, Ranma replied, "Setting the table."
"Oh." Said Kasumi, not comforted in the least by his response.
"Watch." Said Ranma as he moved into the dining room.
In a dizzying display of speed and martial precision, Ranma
flipped dishes from their orbits in his juggling pattern to
their proper places on the table. Amazingly, none of them broke
or even seemed to hit the table very hard. As Ranma continued
around the table, he reached Souns' spot, where the elder Tendo
already sat, reading his morning paper. As Ranma reached Soun's
spot, a wind seemed to come out of nowhere and flapped the pages
of the newspaper wildly, switching from the finance section all
the way back to the sports news.
Ranma, having finished setting the table, stepped to the side
and took a bow. Only then did he notice Soun Tendo sitting in
his spot with a bedraggled newspaper and a shell-shocked
expression. Kasumi couldn't help but clap and she barely held
in a giggle.
"Oops, sorry, Mr. Tendo, didn't see ya there," mumbled Ranma,
looking at his feet with an abashed expression on his face.
Soun snapped out of his surprise and said, "That's all right,
son, but how did you do that?"
"Easy! It's like the speed training I did at the Cat Cafe! I
just use the chestnut fist to juggle all the dishes at once,
toss 'em out in the right area, catch 'em right before they
land, and put 'em in
the right spot."
Kasumi really did giggle at that. "Ranma, is there anything
that you don't approach as training?"
"Uh, no. Should there be?", he said, confused.
"Of course not, boy! All of life is training to the _true_
martial artist!", said a large panda as it walked into the
room. Or rather, a sign the panda held said.
"Mornin', pop."
"Good morning, Mr. Saotome.", said Kasumi in her normal
cheerful way.
The panda's spun his sign with a practiced twist.
"Good morning, Kasumi dear."
"Breakfast will be ready in just a moment, father, Mr. Saotome."
"Thank you, Kasumi, that sounds wonderful."
"Growf." The panda spun his sign once again, and it said:
"Then I'll wait to take my bath."
"Stupid old man, Kasumi didn't fix BAMBOO this mornin'! Go
take your bath, just be quick about it!", Ranma yelled as he
kicked his father in the general direction of the bath.
"Want me to help ya bring out the food Kasumi?", Ranma said
as he walked back toward the kitchen door.
"No, thank you, Ranma, that's all right, but I don't think we
need you juggling the food as well as the dishes.", she replied
with a smile.
"Hey! I didn't drop any!"
No doubt about it, Kasumi giggled again.
_______________________
<Where am I?>, thought Ryoga as he awoke.
<Wherever I am, the decor leaves a _lot_ to be desired.>
Ryoga found himself in a very small room, barely bigger than a
walk-in closet. In it was a futon, a tiny dresser, a red urn
seemingly filled with panties, and a small, iron-bound chest. The
walls were covered in posters. Naughty posters.
In every direction Ryoga looked, he saw several square feet of
exposed female flesh. By virtue of reflex, his hand flew to his
nose to attempt to stop the river of blood that was sure to come.
But nothing happened.
Ryoga pulled his still-bloodless hand from his nose and looked
around in wonder. He hadn't fainted! His nose didn't bleed!
Kami be praised! He could go to the beach again!
But how?
How did this happen to him?
Memories began to return. Shampoo did something to him. That
was why he could look at the pictures! He had asked Akane
out! And she even said yes! Ranma. Ranma did something.
With.. Shampoo. And hurt Akane's feelings. Ranma must DIE!
Now if I could just find him...
The door slid open.
"Hey Ryoga, good to see you're awake. Breakfast is ready.
For a thousand yen, I'll lead you to the dining room."
"I've got a better bargain, Nabiki. Lead me to a nice
resturaunt and I'll treat. Then maybe a movie, if you're
interested." Ryoga said as he stood and sauvely took Nabiki's
hand.
"Please, Ryoga, I know you're ga-ga over my sister. Why are you
asking _me_ out? Just trying to practice?"
"Akane? Nah, she's obsessed with Ranma, so I've moved on.
I like more mature women anyway."
As Ryoga said these things, his mind was in a whirl. <I
can't stop talking! I don't want to date Nabiki! I love
Akane! Why can't I let go of her hand? Wait... Shampoo said
she hit the Casanova point! Does that mean I'll ask out any
girl I see? Arrrgh! Ranma, this is all your fault!>
"Oh, really? Well then, by all means, follow me."
"I'd be delighted.", said Ryoga as he followed her out the
door of Happosai's room. Inwardly, he was cringing.
_______________________
Breakfast was a tense matter. Nabiki was mysteriouly
absent, and Akane was grimly quiet. For once in their
lives, Soun and Genma picked up on the tension and decided
not to add to it. Of course, this didn't stop Genma from
trying to steal food off Ranma's plate, or Ranma from defending
his food automatically.
Finally, Kasumi spoke up.
"Ranma, don't you think you should tell them about your
decision?"
The two fathers stared at Ranma with ill-concealed impatience.
"Okay, I'll tell! The long and short of it is this: I ain't
marryin' Akane. She-"
Soun and Genma lept to their feet and shouted as one.
"Son!" "Boy!"
""How could you do this...""
"...to me?" "...to your father?"
"I AIN'T FINISHED YET!"
More surpised than scared by Ranma's outburst, the fathers sat
back down.
"Like I was tryin' t'say, she hates me. I dunno why, but she
does. I ain't gonna force myself on someone who hates me."
Seeing the growing interruption in his father's eyes, Ranma
glared at him and said, "Lemme
finish, old man."
"'Cause unlike you, pops, I actually care about my honor an'
my family's, I talked to Kasumi, and we agreed to try out
bein' engaged. No promises, tho. If it don't work out, I'm
gone. A ronin don't
need family honor."
"You'll do no such thing, boy. If you do, your mother will
kill me!", said Genma.
"Then you'll just have to keep hiding from her like you've
been for the last ten years! Right now, you don't gotta
worry about it. I wanna see mom again. That's why me an'
Kasumi are tryin' it out. Now I gotta get to school. Later,
old man. Goodbye, Kasumi."
_______________________
Ranma walked to school in a funk. He kept thinking about what
Akane had said earlier. She didn't care about him. But how did
that stack up against the things she'd done for him before? When
he'd angered Happosai the first time he came around, and been
kicked out of the house, she'd come out and found him, and even
brought him food. Speaking of food, she was always trying to cook
for him, even though she couldn't. Didn't that say something? Yet,
the words she spoke this morning, and the night before, said
something, too. And their message was loud and clear. Akane
didn't love him. And if she didn't hate _him_, she hated the
idea of marrying him.
Which amounted to the same thing, given the odd nature of their
relationship. And that meant, even though he hated the thought,
she would be happiest with him out of her life. He would do
whatever he could to make her happy. Because that's what you do
for the ones you love.
_______________________
Shampoo was excited. Ranma had asked _her_ out on a date! True,
it was in exchange for her leaving him alone last night, be he
_had_ asked! She was willing to take what she could get when it
came to Ranma. He had proved surprisingly difficult to wrap around
her finger. The elders said that seducing men was fun and easy,
because they were by nature weak-willed, and all that a woman need
do to catch one was flash a little skin and smile a lot. It didn't
work on Ranma. Nor did her skintight outfits. Or showing up in his
bed in the middle of the night. Or much of anything else she'd tryed.
She hoped he didn't secretly like boys. Maybe that's why Ryoga hates
him so much... Suddenly, Shampoo was struck by a vision of Ranma
and Ryoga, Ryoga looking and sounding like he had after she used
the Casanova Point on him, and Ranma looking like he did when he
was shopping for food in his girl form. Very cute and sweet. They
leaned towards each other slowly, eyes closed, lips searching.
*Oh, Ryoga.*
*Oh, Ranma.*
"Oh, no! Airen not go to pig-boy for love! Shampoo love you too,
too much!!", Shampoo cried as she stood up and assumed a dramatic
pose. Unfortunately, the branch she was standing on wasn't wide
enough to accommodate dramatic poses. Unable to catch herself,
she fell to the ground and landed in a heap.
_______________________
Akane walked to school alone for the first time in months. It was
an odd experience. She kept glancing at the fence, half expecting
Ranma to be there. That idiot. Didn't he know that she lov- liked
him a lot? She'd always said differently when she was mad, but he
just _had_ to know how she really
felt, didn't he?
Apparently not. He thought she hated him. Well, she'd just have to
show him that he was wrong.
Akane continued walking, thoughts of _how_ to show Ranma her
feelings filling her mind.
_______________________
Ranma walked towards Shampoo's unconsious form. She was sprawled at
the base of a tree, mumbling something unintelligble. As he approached,
he heard her clearly say, "No, Ryoga!", then something that sounded
like "love", then a clear "Ranma".
Had Ryoga beaten Shampoo?
P-chan was good enough, Ranma knew, but why would he? He knew
amazon law, or at least the relevant part. But, if Ryoga had
beaten Shampoo, she'd have to start chasing him instead of
Ranma! It was a blow to his ego for Ranma to lose any of the
girls chasing him, especially to Ryoga, but in the long run,
he wouldn't mind being rid of Shampoo and her
great-grandmother.
Ranma proceeded to school with a bit more spring in his step.
_______________________
"Are you sure you don't want to see a movie, Nabiki?", said
Ryoga in his strangely sauve voice.
"Thank you, Ryoga, but I need to get to school. Maybe tomorrow?"
Nabiki smiled as she spoke. Ryoga had a lot more money than she'd
thought. It was _fun_ spending other people's money!
"Sure, Nabiki. I'd love to."
"See you later!"
She spun on her heel and ran towards the school building.
Ryoga stared after her for a moment, then turned and leaned
against the school gate. That had been strange. He'd been
himself most of the time, but any time he tried to leave or
tell Nabiki he loved Akane, something took over, and turned
what he was saying into something from a girl's manga!
He had to get Shampoo to take off this casanova point if it
was going to do this to him! Now how to find her?
"Hey, P-chan. Congratulations."
Ryoga looked up. In front of him stood Ranma, currently female
and slightly damp. He'd been so deep in thought, he hadn't
noticed Ranma's approach.
"What are you talking about, you jerk? And don't call me that!",
was what he tried to say.
What he really said was; "Thank you, Ranma, would you like me to
take you to breakfast to celebrate?"
Ranma blinked. Nothing changed, so he blinked again. Ryoga
stubbornly insisted upon existing, so he said, "Ryoga, did you
get hit _really_ hard on the head or somethin'?"
"No, Ranma, I just realized what an attractive woman you are
when you want to be," Ryoga responded, giving Ranma a smooth
smile. Inwardly, Ryoga was screaming in abject horror.
Ranma was detained from replying due to his jaw working up and
down in a rythmic fashion.
Suddenly, a purple blur flashed by Ranma, impacted on Ryoga,
and resolved itself into Shampoo.
"Ryoga, what you doing, stupid pig-boy? You no ask out Ranma!",
she yelled as she began pummleing Ryoga about the head.
"Now, Shampoo, -ow- you know I wouldn't -oof- ask Ranma out, I
was warming -eep- up to asking -yowtch- you out, of course!",
he managed to get out between bashings.
Ranma shook his head, decided to leave them to their games,
then wandered off towards the school in search of hot water.
_______________________
The school day passed slowly, seeming to drag on for endless
streches while Ranma stared at Akane's back until their
classmates were wondering when it was going to catch fire.
Occasionally, Akane shot a glance back at Ranma. Whether she
caught him looking at her, somewhere else, or nowhere at all,
she never seemed satisfied with what she saw there.
Ranma was extremely grateful when, at long last, the final
bell rang.
_______________________
As he walked home from school, something was bothering Ranma,
but he didn't know what it was. Trying to puzzle it out, he
wandered around town, aimlessly walking in a pattern usually
reserved for Hibikis. Unable to find an answer, he looked around
him to get his bearings, so he could go home. The first
structure he laid eyes on was Dr. Tofu's clinic.
"Oh, yeah," he said, feeling intense guilt building inside of
him, "That."
_______________________
End Chapter 2
Pursuit of Happiness
By Exar A.K.A. Ben Jernigan
selfemployedninja@gmail.com
coming soon:
http://www.exar.us/fanfic/
_______________________
Next Chapter:
Ranma Vs. Tofu!
_______________________
Revison Notes:
Didn't change a whole lot in this chapter, just the conversation
between Ranma and Akane where he tells her the bad news. Had to
adjust for the removal of the cat-fist scene in the last chapter.
Fixed random spelling errors. Pretty sure I missed a bunch
still. *sigh*
Pursuit of Happiness
Chapter 3
Formerly Titled: Love's Truth
By Exar
selfemployedninja@gmail.com
_______________________
Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and Viz, not me. This
story is in no way a claim to these characters. I make no money
from this.
_______________________
Ranma walked into the clinic with a nervous expression on his
face. He wasn't looking forward to this.
As he walked through the door to the office, Dr. Tofu looked up.
"Why, hello, Ranma, it's nice to see you. Any new injuries?"
"No, Doc." <Not yet, anyway...>
"Then what brings you here?", Tofu said, walking around the
desk towards Ranma,
a
friendly smile on his face.
"Doc, I gotta talk to ya about Kasumi."
"Kasumi...?"
Dr. Tofu's glasses fogged as soon as the name was mentioned.
Ranma sighed. This wasn't gonna be easy. But he owed it to
the Doc to be up front about it.
"Doc... Kasumi an' me, we're engaged now. Akane an' me broke
it off. I'm... sorry."
Tofu danced across the room and grabbed his skeleton off of
it's display stand.
"Betty, did you hear? Kasumi's engaged to Ranma now! Isn't....
that..... nice?"
Dr. Tofu turned slowly to face Ranma, building rage showing in
his eyes.
"You're ENGAGED to my Kasumi? Akane was right! You are a
womanizer! There's no way I'm going to let you take Kasumi
from me!"
Ranma stared in shock as Tofu threw himself at the younger
man, coming back to himself just in time to dodge the skeleton
the enraged physician was trying to hit him with.
"Doc! What're you doin'? Knock it off!", Ranma shouted as he
back peddled.
"Betty! He's trying to take Kasumi from me! Help me stop him!",
Tofu yelled incoherently as he swung the skeleton in deadly arcs,
barely missing Ranma each time.
Ranma almost screamed in frustration. He'd hoped that Tofu would
be rational, but it had obviously been a wasted hope.
Tofu grabbed his skeleton's skull and twisted gently, pulling it
free from the neck.
"Betty's Head-Bash!", yelled the doctor as he leapt over a table.
As he reached the height of his arc, he began throwing skulls at
Ranma, seemingly pulling them from inside Betty's empty head.
Ranma dodged and blocked the rain of bones frantically, while
trying to get under the doctor to counter-attack. When Tofu had
almost landed, Ranma snap-kicked his feet out from under him,
causing the doctor to land on his rear.
Tofu grunted in pain, but immediately regained his feet. He
briskly reattached Betty's head, then removed her leg just as
quickly. He charged Ranma, changing to a running jump at the
last second, when he slapped Betty's leg onto his own and
shouted, "Skeleton-Fu Secret Technique! Extension Kick!"
Ranma cried out in pain as the foot of the skeletal leg slammed
into his chest, the toes slicing through his shirt and digging
into his chest.
"That's it, doc! No more mister nice guy!", shouted an enraged
Ranma as he shattered Betty's leg with a quick twist. Ranma
moved at his full speed and destroyed the rest of Dr. Tofu's
dangerous skeleton.
"How could you do that to my poor Betty? I'm going to teach
you a lesson, Ranma!", Tofu screamed as he leapt at Ranma.
Lightning-quick, he threw a punch at Ranma's face. Instinctively,
Ranma blocked with his forearm. Too late, he saw Tofu's hand
twist and felt his expert fingers tapping lightly down his
arm. Ranma's left arm was suddenly stuck in the blocking
position and wouldn't move an inch.
Ranma cursed and flipped backwards over a table, trying to
head for the door. Inside like this, Tofu would be able to
corner him and use more of those pressure points on him.
The doctor ran up and shoved the table hard, hitting Ranma
on the way down and making him land awkwardly.
"Dammit!", Ranma yelled, as he twisted his ankle. <That's
gonna slow me down.>
He looked up to see Tofu running around the end of the
table and knew that escape was no longer an option.
"If that's the way you want it, doc. Katchuu Tenchin
Amaguriken!! One-Armed Version!!"
Ranma proceeded to throw several hundred punches at
Tofu, who blocked some, dodged others, and simply stood
and took the rest. As Ranma finished the technique, he
noticed an incredible pain in his hand. Tofu had managed
to hit a pain point while blocking! Ranma shook his hand
to lessen the agony, but to no avail. Fortunately, the
doctor had felt the punches he took, and was slow recovering.
Taking advantage of a woozy enemy, Ranma jumped up, bounced
off a table, and executed a Flying Dragon kick that would
have made Bruce Lee proud. Tofu caught it in the chest and
went flying out through his clinic's front window.
Ranma regained his feet and quickly followed, hoping to
press his advantage.
He found the doctor in the yard, already halfway to his feet.
"Do ya give up yet, Doc? I don't wanna hurt you.", Ranma
said as he warily advanced on his enemy.
"Give up on Kasumi? Never!", responded Dr. Tofu as he stood
up straight and pressed a spot on his own chest. Immediately
his breathing was easier. He then rushed Ranma, trying to bowl
him over. Ranma leapt over the doc's oncoming form, spinning
in the air to launch a volley of kicks into his back. Tofu
stumbled forward, unable to stop, and rammed headfirst into
the wall.
The Doctor pulled his head free from the wall with glasses
askew and a trail of blood running from his hairline down
to his chin.
"That's it, Ranma! Now you DIE!", Tofu screamed in fury,
spinning around and closing with Ranma faster than before.
He dodged Ranma's punch, then began pummeling the boy's torso
from inside his defense. He got in several good hits before
Ranma chopped down onto his collarbone. With a hiss of pain,
Tofu backed away.
Tofu was hurting, badly. His clavicle had broken with that last
attack, and the pain-deadening point he'd pressed couldn't
filter it all out. When it wore off, he'd probably go into
shock. He needed to finish this.
Ranma decided to go on the offensive. He jumped at Tofu, leading
with kicks, and finishing with a roundhouse punch with his pain-
filled hand.
Tofu reeled from Ranma's attacks, but managed to counterattack
savagely, punching Ranma in vulnerable spots, despite seeming
to flinch with every movement of his arms. Ranma leapt back and
paused a moment to catch his breath.
Tofu was in agony. One of Ranma's kicks had aggravated his broken
shoulder. He hated to use it on a kid, but he only had one attack
left.
"Ki Bone Barrage!!"
Dark blue bolts of energy flew from Tofu's hands at the stunned
Ranma. They resolved into glowing bones, of all sizes and
descriptions. He dodged a shin bone, an ankle, two skulls and
a pelvis before a thigh bone struck him full in the chest. It
knocked him backwards harder than one of Ryoga's punches.
Picking himself up off the ground, Ranma wondered aloud, "How
the hell did he do that?"
Tofu was exhausted. He hadn't fought like this in ages. He
couldn't take the pace. Ranma was going to win.
Ranma warily examined his opponent. He seemed to be on the
edge of falling over. <I sure hope he ain't fakin',> Ranma
thought.
Only one way to find out, he mused.
Ranma gave a mighty battle cry and leapt into the air. As
Tofu watched, he flew towards him, landing a kick squarely
on Tofu's face, knocking him into and partially through the
wall behind him and thoroughly knocking him out..
Before he passed out as well, Ranma wondered briefly if he
should call a doctor for the doctor.
_____________________
Ranma awoke in an empty hospital room. He sat up and turned
to swing his feet off the bed, and then noticed the brace on
his foot.
"Huh. Musta' hurt it worse than I thought," he said quietly.
He gingerly stood up, testing his weight and finding walking
possible, if painful.
He limped to the bathroom and was taking care of business
when he heard someone enter the room. "He's gone!", said a
familiar voice.
"What?", replied another.
"The bed's empty!"
Ranma chuckled softly as he finished what he was doing and
opened the door to the cubicle.
"I haven't gone far."
Akane, Nabiki and Kasumi stood in his room, each with a
different expression of her face.
Akane looked angry, but that was nothing new.
Nabiki looked calculating, but very tired.
Kasumi looked calm, but just a tiny bit concerned.
"Ranma! You're finally awake! Now I can pound you for
hurting Dr. Tofu!", Akane said as she pulled her hammer
out of the aether.
"Hey! He attacked me!"
"A likely story! Why would he do that, you jerk?"
"Because I told him about being engaged to Kasumi, that's
why! He went crazier than usual!"
"Oh," Akane said in a very small voice.
"Why would Dr. Tofu attack you because we are engaged?",
asked Kasumi, with a puzzled look on her face.
"Because, dear sister, he's head over heels in love with
you," drawled Nabiki.
"Oh, my. He is?"
The other three people in the room all turned their heads
to look at Kasumi.
"You mean you didn't know?"
"No. How could I?"
Ranma shook his head and said, "He goes crazy any time
you come around, or if you're even mentioned."
"Oh. I thought he always acted that way."
"I guess you've just never seen him act normally. I don't
know if he's actually insane, or just incredibly shy,"
offered Nabiki.
"Oh, my."
_____________________
Ranma was released a few hours later, but warned to take
it easy on his foot until the ankle healed some. They
inquired as to Tofu's condition, and were told that he
would be out in a few days, but wouldn't be back to full
health for a month or so.
As they walked out into a cool spring day, Ranma said,
"I hope he doesn't start attacking me as soon as he's
better, but I doubt I'll be that lucky."
"Based on your track record, I'd say it's not likely,
Ranma," observed Nabiki.
"Yeah, tell me about it. I dunno, he's older than my other
rivals, so he might see reason a little easier."
"Sure, Ranma. Whatever you say."
_____________________
The next day, Ranma stayed home from school. The doctor
had told him to avoid fights, and he _knew_ he couldn't
do that at Furinkan.
Finding nothing of interest on TV, and having no interest
in watching his father and Mr. Tendo cheat at shogi, he
sought out Kasumi.
She wasn't in the kitchen, wasn't doing laundry, and wasn't
cleaning the garden. So where was she?
In her room?
Ranma walked up the stairs and to Kasumi's room. As he
raised his hand to knock, he realized that he'd never been
in her room before, and only seen inside once. And since he'd
been worried about Akane cooking, he didn't much remember
what he saw.
He knocked gently on the door.
"Who is it?"
"It's Ranma, Kasumi."
She opened the door with a smile on her face and said, "Come
in, Ranma."
He walked in and looked around. It was a nice room, very clean,
with a comfortable-looking bed and a small bedside table against
one wall and a desk against the other. On the desk was... a
computer?
"Kasumi? Why do you have a computer in your room?", Ranma asked,
gesturing at the desk.
Kasumi walked over to it and moved the mouse, dispelling the
flying toasters that had been covering the screen.
"It's for my job. I need it to do my typing, but I also use it
to organize and trade recipes, plan meals, and do some shopping."
"I didn't know you had a job.", said Ranma, a little embarrassed
that he hadn't.
"I know, Ranma, I don't tell anyone about it. Only you, Nabiki
and I know that I do."
"Oh. Why didn't you tell the rest of us?"
"Because the one time I suggested getting a job, father absolutely
refused to allow it. But we needed the money so badly, I went
and got one anyway."
"Wow. I never knew. Now I feel really bad for freeloading all
this time."
"Don't, Ranma. I know how much money Nabiki generates off of
you, and that you could stop her easily. You've helped
tremendously."
"Oh. So what is your job?", Ranma asked.
Kasumi gestured at the computer and the pile of books next
to it.
"I read medical books and summarize them into things called
'Cliff's Notes'."
"So that's why you're always going down to Dr. Tofu's to
borrow books!"
"Yes."
"Oh. Akane thought it was because you liked him. And I think
he hoped it was."
Kasumi blushed a little, and said, "I like him because he's
silly, but I don't like him the way he seems to want me to.
If he had ever shown how he felt, or asked me out, well... it's
not going to happen now, is it?"
"It can if you want it. We can break our engagement right now,
and I'll leave today."
"Don't be silly. Your ankle is still hurt, so you couldn't
leave if I'd let you. Besides, I don't want to date Dr. Tofu.
Do you know how old he is?"
"No."
"Well neither do I, but he's been running his clinic since I was
in junior high. He's at least ten or twelve years older than me."
"Ya know, I never thought of that."
Ranma found his way to a chair and spent the rest of the afternoon
chatting with Kasumi about everything under the sun.
_____________________
End
Pursuit of Happiness
Chapter 3
_____________________
Author's Notes:
This chapter is shorter than the two previous ones, mainly
because I couldn't think of anything else to put in it. I had
the big fight scene, and the resolution of that, and a little
character exploration for Ranma and Kasumi. I didn't want to
start the plot line for next chapter just yet, but I didn't
want to drag this one on with unrelated scenes and filler. So
it ends here, and chapter 4 will be back up to the standard
length, if not longer.
On Dr. Tofu's age: I don't know how much it's addressed in the
manga, but in the anime, it is suggested that Dr. Tofu is in
somewhere in his 30s. He is shown running his clinic when Akane
is somewhere in the range of 10 years old. Kasumi would have
been 13 or so. that's 6 years before the show, assuming he was 18
when he graduated high school, add 8 years to get a doctorate,
and he would be at least 32 years old. I know they go for younger
women in Japan, but dang.
_____________________
By Exar A.K.A. Ben Jernigan
selfemployedninja@gmail.com
http://www.florestica.com/exar/index.htm
_______________________
Revison Notes: Didn't change a thing but the name. I really love that fight,
tho. I wrote that before I had even finished chapter 2.
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