Alternatives -- Chapter 7 Ranma 1/2 and all of its' characters are the property of Rumiko Takahashi and all of the companies who have licensed it. I don't own any of it. I do not have permission to use her characters or ideas. I am writing solely for pleasure. Don't sue. All comments, flames, MST's or other responses are welcome. Let me know what you think. Please let me know if there are any problems with the formatting. I have tried MS Outlook, Netscape Eudora, MS Exchange and now HotMail. If you find that the formatting is unreadable, I'll be very happy to send the fic to you in either fic or MSWorks format. I also want to thank my pre-readers (in no particular order) Jonathan Ng, Jason Liao, Ryan Erik, Paul Steele and Jiro Maeda for making this chapter much, much better than it began. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Taking a big breath, Ranma yelled, "Banzai!", and jumped into the Spring of Drowned twins. As he entered the water, his yell changed from a shout of triumph into a scream of agony. As his body sliced into the spring, Ranma felt the waters surrounding him begin to boil in agitation. Instead of feeling cool against his skin, the water felt like liquid fire. He couldn't think, for the pain of being boiled alive. For a second, he saw through two sets of eyes and then with a lurch to the left, he saw onna-Ranma's face separate from himself. Dimly, he heard a scream, it sounded like his own voice, but its pitch began rising until it was a woman's shriek. When the burning was so intense that he couldn't imagine it getting any worse, it intensified. Slowly, oh so slowly, he saw a new body form around the face. Its neck came first, then its torso and arms with its legs last. As each part of the new body formed, he felt the fire reaching into him and burning away a part of his soul. Having never experienced pain at such an excruciating level before, Ranma was aware of every nerve in his body signaling, each one telling him that he was ablaze and being consumed. His entire existence became the inferno around him. Then, without warning, it stopped. Thanking the gods that he was still male, he stood up in a daze and noticed Nodoka moving toward him with a robe. He made it out of the pool and into his mother's arms before shock overcame him. Had he been asked, Ranma would have sworn that he was immersed in a block of ice. Feeling as if he was being sculpted, his body bounced painfully as it percolated in the pool. His mind tried to force his body to move, to get away, but nothing happened. Ranma had always been told that being frozen was painless; it was a lie. He was in more pain than he had ever felt before and it was only exacerbated by the helplessness of immobility. When he thought that he would crack in half from being frozen, the pain and paralysis mercifully ended. He, no, she stood and saw Kasumi coming toward her with a robe to wear. She met her at the edge of the spring and allowed Kasumi to wrap the robe around her. With the conflicting emotions of self-pity, self-loathing and jealousy raging in her soul, she stood shivering from remembered cold as she watched her new brother collapse into Nodoka's arms. She watched as Nodoka motioned for her to come and be held alongside her brother. Fighting a losing battle to stay awake, blessed darkness soon swept over her and she fell into her mother's waiting arms, unconscious. Genma, standing next to Nodoka, staggered as screams of pure agony tore at his soul, triggering his memories of Neko-ken training. He had sworn afterwards that he would never willingly put Ranma into such a situation again. Yet, because of his greed and inaction, Ranma was once again going through a torturous experience. Feelings of shame, remorse and dishonor washed over him and he was forced to turn his back on the pool and its horrors. He lay his left hand upon Nodoka's shoulder and began gently crying. For her part, Nodoka stood stoically watching Ranma. Her thoughts, however, were in complete disarray. She was watching her son undergo a transformation as hideous as it seemed painful. He was being split apart cell by cell. Her first thought was to pull him out, to do anything she could to save him from what he was undergoing. As much as she wanted to help him, she found couldn't. If she did, the justifications for allowing Genma to take Ranma from her in the first place would be shown true. Her pride and honor would not allow her that seeming weakness. When Genma placed his hand on her shoulder, she looked into his eyes. The shame and remorse she saw within them kindled an anger that only a mother can feel when her child has been intentionally harmed. She shrugged his hand off and began walking towards Ranma. She might not be able to stop this process, but she would be there to love and support her children. As she passed the pile of clothes ready for Ranma, she picked up two robes to wrap them in when they came out of the spring. In all of his experiences with the Master, Soun had never seen anything remotely like what he was witnessing. Shocked out of his tears, all he could do was stare in terrorized awe. His stomach gave out as Ranma's body split down its torso. As he retched on his hands and knees, he knew could no longer watch. After years of being a mother to Nabiki and Akane, Kasumi automatically began moving toward the pool as Ranma began screaming. She could no more ignore the screams of pain being shouted than a doctor could. She didn't have the time or the luxury to feel anything; Ranma needed help. She might not be a martial artist, but when it came to emotional and physical support, Kasumi knew that she was more than qualified to give it. She caught up with Nodoka and gently took one of the robes from her. She stood beside the cursed spring and awaited whatever would be needed of her. Surprised, Nabiki stood and watched the transformation occur. She kept thinking to herself, This is magic, it's not supposed to hurt. She had gotten marginally comfortable with it and the effects it could have. Who wouldn't after living with Ranma for a year? Every time she had seen a curse in action, its effects had been instantaneous and painless, but this time she could feel the agony in Ranma's screams. She turned to Cologne and yelled, "Cologne, what's wrong?" Cologne never took her eyes off of Ranma. "Child, this is both the most blessed and most cursed spring of all at Jusenkyo. This spring creates new life. We are watching the birth of a new person. As any mother knows, no life is brought into this world without pain. The difference today is that Ranma must experience the pain of his own birth." She knew that the experience was supposed to be painful, but never had dreamed that it would be this harrowing. Feeling only pity for Ranma, she thought, Son-In-Law, I'm sorry. No one should be forced through this action. Kuno and Kodachi were both overwhelmed by the immensity of the event taking place. They had only just started believing in Jusenkyo's magic and now it was tearing Ranma apart. Kodachi felt her stomach tie up in a knot as she wondered if she was really worth what Ranma was doing for her. Kuno became frightened as he continued watching and realized how powerful the magic of this land truly was. He turned his back on Ranma so that he could control the fear coursing through him. It was not seemly to be so afraid. With every agonized scream, Akane felt as if she herself was being ripped open. Unable to watch, she sank to her knees and cried. Feeling nothing but emptiness inside her because she had let her love, her fiance, her best friend go willingly into that torture, she was unsure if she could ever forgive herself. Watching at first in horror and then growing anger, Ukyo knew that she couldn't let Ranma go through that again just so that she could have a mate. Before anyone even knew, Ukyo had turned and begun running toward the Jusenkyo Guide's hut. You jackass, she thought, you think that you can solve everyone's problem by sacrificing yourself for us. Well, I love you and I will not let you go through this again just for me. I know another way. I will make this sacrifice for you, whether you like it or not. I must be strong for my husband, Shampoo thought. For an Amazon warrior, showing any kind of emotion for what Ranma was going through would be seen as a sign of weakness. It was of paramount importance to Shampoo to be seen as a strong warrior, otherwise Ranma might think her weak and leave her. She kept repeating this to herself so that she wouldn't embarrass Ranma by crying in front of her great-grandmother. As two people staggered from the pond where one had entered, the scene had completely changed. Genma was staring after Nodoka, a stunned and hurt expression on his face. Obviously ill, Soun weaved his way to the Guide's hut. Nabiki was angrily making her way towards where Cologne was, for a change, standing flat-footed. Kodachi and Shampoo were both still facing in the direction of the spring, but were both lost in their own thoughts. Akane was crying on the ground. Ukyo had run past Soun and was entering the Guide's shack. Nodoka and Kasumi gently laid brother and sister next to each other on the ground. Kasumi busied herself with making sure that both would be as comfortable as possible when they woke. She didn't want to allow herself a chance to think about what had just happened. If she did, she was afraid that she might not be able to help anyone for some time. So, instead, she did what she always did. She busied herself in the minutiae of taking care of them. She made sure that they were shaded and lying as comfortably as she could get them. When onna-Ranma awoke, the sun was at its zenith and she lay a few feet from the Spring of Drowned Twins. As she started to sit up, she noticed her brother was laying next to her, beginning to wake up himself. Finding that she didn't have the strength to sit up, she propped herself on her arms. "Ranma, are you okay?" Nodoka asked in concern. "Yeah, I guess so. I didn't expect that. Did you Mom?" "No, I didn't," Nodoka paused. "Are you sure you're okay?" "Yeah. I think I remember Ukyo running to the Guide before I passed out. She didn't fall into a spring did she?" she said worriedly. With a small frown, her mother said, "No, dear, Ukyo is fine. You just imagined it, I'm sure." "Ugh," Ranma groaned as he woke up beside his sister. "Why am I so weak?" "Cologne explained it while you were asleep, dear. To separate one person into two, the energy required is tremendous. Most people recuperate from it no sooner than after two weeks. With your stamina and manliness, she expects you to be able to jump in again by tomorrow," his mother answered. The others, upon hearing Nodoka's words and realizing that Ranma was awake, made an immediate rush to where the two lay. Kasumi had set up a tarp earlier to keep the sun off of them and she and Nodoka sat next to the two. Everyone else was forced to stand just outside of the tarp and look in. After answering the resulting storm of "Are you okay?" questions, neither sibling wanted to describe what they had experienced. "So, what is your name going to be? Ranma's not going to fit you very well, you know," Nabiki asked onna-Ranma. "I've been thinking about it a lot. I really want to be called Ranma. I know I can't be called that, that's a guy's name, after all," onna-Ranma said with a little unintended bitterness creeping into her voice. "I guess, I like Ranko. Not Ranko, as in 'Wild Child', but Ranko meaning 'Little Orchid.' Oh, by the way, the first person to call me 'Rankou' (promiscuity) instead of 'Ranko' gets a broken jaw," Ranko was looking at Nabiki as she spoke the last sentence. "Promiscuous? I would never think to call you that, Ranko," Nabiki answered with a laugh. "Ranko, that's not the way a young lady talks," Nodoka chided her. "I ain't exactly a lady, mom. I may be a girl, but I'm not a lady." Nodoka was about to launch into a full blown explanation of what a lady is, when Cologne suddenly told everyone to be quiet. In the ensuing stillness, they all began to hear a jingling and a rhythmic beating sound coming closer. Suddenly, they spotted twenty soldiers flying towards Jusenkyo. "Jusendo warriors." Cologne whispered. Turning to the rest, she said, "Stay here and be quiet. I'll handle this." They landed a short way from Ranma and Ranko's shelter. As Cologne started to go towards them, their leader flew on to meet her. "Greetings, Warrior," Cologne began. "I am Flight Leader Unima. We heard that the Spring of Drowned Twins had been used. We were sent to investigate. Did the Guide approve and were you aware of what was going to happen, Amazon?" "I am Cologne, an Elder of the Joketsuzoku. Wait for a little while, the soldiers of the Musk Dynasty will soon be here. I prefer to answer all of your questions just once." Cologne said dismissing the bird-man. She turned and went back to Ranma and the rest. "What are those people?" Nodoka was the first to ask. "Those are Jusendo warriors. In a few minutes, a task force of Musk warriors will also arrive. Use of the Spring of Drowned Twins is proscribed by treaty. Only with permission of the Jusenkyo Guide and either the Amazon, Musk or Jusendo people, can one use it. However, there are always guards watching and its misuse will bring swift retribution. Being able to fly, the representatives of the Jusendo tribe made it here first." Knowing she needed to explain, Cologne continued, "It goes back to a war fought two thousand four hundred years ago. The Musk Emperor, Thyme, was the one who was responsible for having the Spring of Drowned Twins created. Wanting to create an army large enough to conquer all of China, he had his twin sons drowned in the spring creating it. We Amazons were almost too late in finding out what he had done. By the time we did, his army had been created and was ready to march. The Amazon and Jusendo tribes had to band together in order to defeat him and his newly created army. That is a long and involved tale which I will tell when I have time. Suffice it to say, when the war was over, the three tribes created what are now the Jusenkyo Guides as watchers of the springs. In the event anyone uses this one spring, all tribes are alerted. In addition, it is unlawful for any except the Guide to have a map of the Springs. The acts of the Jusendo people in kidnapping him to get the map would have been cause for war, had it not been for Ranma here." "Why weren't we told about this?" Nodoka asked with alarm. "It was of no concern to you. Ranma has the permission of the Guides and of the Amazons." "Permission? You mean that you have to have permission to get cursed?" Nabiki asked in astonishment. "For the Spring of Drowned Twins, yes, one must have permission, or there are consequences," Cologne said darkly. Cologne then smiled, waved her arm towards the rest of the pond-marked valley, and said, "You may try any of the other springs, Nabiki, absolutely free of charge and with no permission needed." Eyes opening slightly in fear at the thought, Nabiki took a step back away from the training ground before rallying herself and answered, "Thank you, no. I didn't bring my bathing suit," "What happens to someone who hasn't received permission?" Akane then asked to shift Cologne's attention away from her confrontation with Nabiki. "They, and all with them, are captured. Sometimes, the punishment is a clean death. Sometimes, it is worse, a truly cursed life," as she spoke, her eyes wandered to rest upon the direction she knew the Musk soldiers would arrive from. "Oh, it can be much worse, child," she whispered, her eyes partly closing in hatred. "I'm glad that we have permission then. I can't even sit up without help," Ranma said. "Ranma, Ranko, one of the effects of the spring is to disable most users from anywhere from two weeks to a month. As I told your mother, I expect you to be up again by tomorrow. But right now, you wouldn't be able to fight, much less stand, even if your life depended on it." "Is there anything else that you know, that we need to know?" Nabiki sarcastically asked. "There is much that I know, child, that you will need to know at some point in your life. However, I do not have the time to teach you today," Cologne tersely ended the discussion by turning and watching the woods. Within a half-hour, the representative of the Musk tribe showed up with thirty warriors. Seeing the Jusendo warriors and Cologne, the leader walked towards the hut of the Jusenkyo Guide. As if signaled, Cologne and Unima also began going there. The guide, himself, soon walked nervously out of his hut to meet the three. The leader of the Musk delegation was named Myrrh. While not a very tall man, he was extremely strong and looked almost bovine in expression. His ancestral mother had been a bull before a dip in the Nyannichuan. He was not happy at being forced to meet with Jusendo monsters and Amazon witches. "What is going on? Amazon, is this your doing?" Cologne smiled and answered, "I have given permission to Ranma Saotome to jump into the spring, yes. He has already received permission from the Guides. His mother has possession of a letter written by this guide explaining the use of the spring." "Is this true?" Unima asked the Guide. "Yes, Honored One. She wrote asking how to rid one of a curse. Knowing who she was the mother of, we decided that he was worthy of the blessing of the spring." "How many times will he jump?" Myrrh asked. "I'm not sure, two maybe three more times. He only has enough passports for seven," Cologne answered coolly. "We will be watching, witch. Do not overstep what you are allowed," Myrrh threatened Cologne. "It would be well for you to remember that when a bull threatens a person, it is most often the bull who ends up regretting it," Cologne said dangerously. "There has been no infraction of the pact. My men and I will be going home," Unima said as he turned to go. "Farewell, Elder." "Safe skies, Unima." "Hmph, like I would trust an Amazon," Myrrh said. "My men will be here until the Saotome brat is finished. Besides," he said with a smile, "my men need brides and we'll spend the time hunting." Cologne couldn't imagine a fate worse than being a bride to a man of the Musk tribe. When a youth, she would have died before submitting to one of the beast-men. Suppressing a shiver, she turned and went back to the group waiting for her. "We can stay here or go back to the village and be more comfortable. I, myself, will be going back to the village," Cologne told the others when she returned from the discussion. She was tired. She looked forward to being able to settle back into life as an Elder of the tribe. "Ranma, Ranko, will you need help to get back?" Kasumi was the first to ask. "Nah, I can handle it. I'll be able to make it back on my own," Ranma said gamely as he quickly stood up. His face quickly grew ashen as the blood fled from it, his knees buckled and he landed unceremoniously on his face, out cold. "It looks like Ranma needs some help after all," Nabiki drolly remarked. Nodoka, forestalling a rush of fiancees wanting to help, quickly told Genma to help Ranma back to the village. She was interrupted by Kuno before she could ask Soun to carry Ranko back. "Oh, Thy beauty is unparalleled. Seen by all, it begs to be beheld. Fragile today, your beast of burden I will be, Strong elsetimes, I pray thy radiance to see. Let me, please, o beauteous Ranko, be thy carriage wherever you go." As he finished, Kuno knelt down in front of Ranko offering his back for her to climb upon. "If you please, my lady true, let my back be your saddle and my arms your stirrups." Normally, Ranko would have either punted Kuno away or knocked him out before he got to the third line of his poem, however she was only just able to sit up without aid. Embarrassed and not knowing what to say, she looked to her mother for help. Nodoka saw Ranko's look and completely misinterpreted it. She thought Ranko was asking if it was okay for a young lady to take a ride from a young, unattached gentleman. In reality, Ranko asked her mother to find a way to get Kuno away from her. "Why what a nice, gentlemanly way of offering assistance! I'm sure that Ranko will enjoy letting you carry her back to the village," Nodoka smiled approvingly at Kuno's gracious offer. "Uh, yeah, sure, thanks Kuno…" Ranko said in a flat tone. Looking at her mother like she was someone she'd never met before, she felt anger at her mother thinking that she would be interested in Kuno, of all people. "It is beyond my wildest pleasure, to be allowed to serve you, Ranko!" "Right, Kuno," Ranko muttered as she weakly clambered upon Kuno's back. Once Ranma was upon Genma's back and Ranko was settled upon Kuno's back, they all journeyed to the Amazon village. Arriving back in the village, it was decided that they should both stay in Cologne's home. This was so that if any problems arose, Cologne would be there to help them out. The room that Ranma and Ranko had been placed was rather spartan in its furnishings. It was about ten feet by twelve feet, with two single person mats upon which each sibling lay. There was one window facing east and a door in the north of the room. There was no closet in the room, but a large wardrobe took up a large portion of the western wall. The southern wall held a tapestry showing a battle between the Amazons and some ancient enemy. The walls were painted white and the floors were of polished wood. Alone together, Ranko hesitantly asked, "So, what should I call you? Calling anyone else Ranma, kinda sucks, you know?" "How about niisan (older brother)? I was first, after all you were just born today." "Okay, niisan it is," Ranko said with some remorse. Looking at him with a fierce expression, she smiled and said, "You may be stronger than me, but I'm way faster. I can't wait to beat your butt when we spar." "Give me a break! I don't lose, never have and never will." Ranma boasted. "Niisan, I know better than that. Let's just wait and see who wins our sparring sessions. Heck, I'll even promise to go easy on you," Ranko smiled at Ranma. "Yeah, sure, I hear ya talking," Ranma paused and in a more serious tone, he continued. "I really don't want to jump in the Spring again. You know what I mean? I thought I was going to be burned to death." "Burned to death? I couldn't move and felt like I was a rock being touched at a Breaking Point. It was the worst thing I've ever been through," Ranko stopped and thought for a moment. "You know, you've gotta do it again," she continued with regret. "If you want, I'll jump in with ya tomorrow. That way you'll have company. Of course, it's not like I like the idea of making another girl us, I just don't want you to face that alone." "You don't have to do that. Just be there for me when I go in and come out, okay?" Ranma was surprised that she offered to jump in with him. Thinking on it, though, he realized that in her place, he would've made the same offer. "Yes, I will. Thanks for letting me off the hook. I know that you would do the same for me. Believe me, I know. I am you, just a lot cuter, faster, and all around better than you, but I am you," she finished sticking her tongue out at him and laughing. "Hey!" Ranma replied in mock anger, "Don't forget shorter and weaker!" Knock Knock "Yeah, who is it?" Ranma asked. "It's your mother. I came to check up on you two and make sure that you're both all right. May I come in?" "Sure mom, come on in. Me and my imouto (little sister) have been having fun talking with each other." As she entered the room, Nodoka asked, "What have you two been talking about?" "Oh, mainly agreeing that I'm the better martial artist," Ranma said with a smirk. "Says you!" "I'm glad to see that you both are getting enough energy to argue with each other. I want to let you know, that when you are ready, everyone would like to visit with you both." Looking at Ranko and smiling with pleasure and approval, she said, "Ranko, that nice boy, Tatewaki, would like to see you when you're up for it. He's very concerned for you. In fact, he's guarding the house from visitors. He said that it was the sacred duty of a samurai to defend his lady against any and all villains. Isn't that very manly, Ranko?" "Mom, I just became a girl today. I am not interested in guys, at least not yet. I will never be attracted to a creep like him. Before I got to Furinkan, he forced anyone who wanted to date Akane to attack her. How? He told the entire school that they must defeat her in combat before they could date with her. If they dated her without defeating her first, he would challenge them and beat them up. She had to fight almost all of the boys at school every morning." "He did? That certainly wasn't very manly. I'll have to have a talk with him. He needs to learn how to be manly. I must admit, he didn't seem like that today. However, if you're not interested, I won't force you." "Thanks, mom." "..." Nodoka raised her eyebrows in disapproval at Ranko's language. "Thank you, mother." Ranko amended after receiving a nudge from Ranma. "You're very welcome, daughter. If you are both up to it, and I think you are, you have some people who would like to see you." Looking at each other, they both grinned and said, "Bring them in!" The first visitors were the two fathers, Genma and Soun. Genma stumbling to his knees facing only Ranma, began apologizing, "Ranma, my boy, as I saw you today, I couldn't help but remember all of the training I've put you through. Some of which, I must confess, was fool-hardy at best. Will you forgive me, my son?" Realizing that he had snubbed Ranko, he turned to her and said in an embarrassed tone, "Er, will you forgive me also, daughter?" "Jeez, pop. I forgive you for everything but the Cat-Fist. That was crazy," Ranma felt in a forgiving mood. The reminder of the Cat-fist sent shivers down his spine. He could never forgive his father that stupidity. Ranko, very angry over being overlooked, said, "Pop, I'll forgive you nothing. You are the reason that I'm a girl. Do you think a few words will make the pain go away." As she spoke her voice had risen in volume until she had ended in an enraged scream. Catching herself, she stopped and glared at her father. In an extremely controlled whisper, she told Genma, "Pop, if you want forgiveness, pray to our ancestors." "I'm sorry, my children," Genma continued to bow in apology. Wanting absolution, he promised himself that he would find a way to make all of his children happy. Never saying a word, Soun move forward and embraced both of them, crying. After a few moments, Genma pulled Soun away and said, "Old friend, it's time that we leave them." After letting Ranko calm herself, Nodoka brought Akane into the room. Putting on a smile for Akane's sake, Ranko's voice betrayed her, "Hi, Akane!" In some ways, it felt as if she were watching a dead person come into the room. She loved Akane, loved her as her soul-mate. Of all the fiancees, she had never imagined being married and having children together with anyone other than Akane. How could they have kids, when they couldn't even make love the right way? She didn't like guys that way and didn't like the idea of sex with another woman, who would ever be able to get close enough to love her? The person she was watching would never be closer than a friend or maybe a sister could be. Seeing Ranma and Akane's reciprocated love light up their faces, Ranko felt the chasm of grief in her heart widen. She couldn't imagine loving anyone else enough to want to raise a family with them, let alone become pregnant or make love. As Akane moved to sit between the two, tears began to silently track down Ranko's face. "It's so strange to see both of you at the same time," Akane said quietly. Noticing Ranko's tears, "Ranko, what's the problem? Is there anything I can do?" "No, there's no problem. I just am wishing that you and niisan will be happy together, forever." "Imoutosan, that's not all and you know it," Ranma looked at her with sympathy. He, himself, had felt the same feelings when he had been trapped by Herb in Ranko's form. Reaching out and holding her shoulder in a gentle hand, he sighed in imagined grief as he said, "Tell her." "What? Tell me what?" Akane asked, afraid of the answer, but knowing that she had to know to be able to help. Unable to look at Akane, Ranko looked at the floor and haltingly began to speak, "A-Akane, I love you. … Just because I have a girl's body, doesn't mean that I've stopped loving you. I'm still Ranma Saotome, inside. It hurts seeing you and n-niisan so much in love. I knew going into this that you would only marry one of us and I am happy for you. I just always assumed I'd be the one married to you. I'm just having to get used to idea that I'm not." Finished, Ranko was unable to control her grief any longer, body wrenching sobs soon shook her. With a look that Akane remembered seeing in the mirror when her mother died, Ranko looked up from the floor and reached for her. As Akane took her in her arms, Ranko laid her head on Akane's shoulder and cried. Listening to the heartfelt pain in Ranko's words, Akane cried in empathy. Imagining herself in Ranko's position, she was overwhelmed by sympathetic grief. Knowing how much Ranma loved her, she had never considered the emotional toll giving up that love would cost. She realized how much her love for Ranma meant to her and what it would do to her to be forced to give it up. Asking herself if she could go through for Ranma, what Ranma was going through for her, she found that she couldn't give herself an honest answer. Cursed to be a boy forever? Watching Ranma and another Akane marry? No, she couldn't say that she would willingly do that, not for honor, family, anything or anyone else. Making a promise to herself and to Ranko that she would always be there for her, she comforted her as best as she knew how. When the sobs from the sorrow-stricken girl subsided, Akane whispered to her, "Oh, Ranko, I'll always be your friend. Do you remember the first time we met, when I asked you if you wanted to be friends? Well, I'm asking again. Hi, I'm Akane Tendo, want to be my friend?" "Y-yes. I do Akane," Ranko looked at Akane with a tentative smile through her glistening eyes. Akane hugged Ranko tightly. She then looked her in the eyes and said firmly, "Friends forever, right?" "Right, friends. You want to spar?" Ranko said as she wiped the last of her tears from her eyes. Akane laughed a little and said, "Maybe after you're up and about. I really don't think you'd enjoy getting beaten by a tomboy like me." Ranma was rubbing at his eyes and sniffling himself. "I need to talk to Mom. There's way too much dust in this room; it's making my eyes water and my nose run." Akane sat back up to look at Ranko and at Ranma, "Ranko, Ranma, I am sorry for what you are going through. I watched you today and all I could think of was how worthless I was for not being able to help you, the one… ones I love. I don't want you to go there again. I'll break off our engagement and you can marry Ukyo or Shampoo. Please, don't go there again," Akane then continued in a tiny voice, "I really can't bear watching you go through so much pain again." "Akane, I, no, we have to." Ranma raised his left hand up to her cheek. "If we don't, our family and personal honor will be ruined. I can't let that happen. I am not my father. Our children will grow up in a family that knows love, kindness and honor from being shown it every day. I must do this for our future." Akane fell forward onto Ranma's chest and held on tight. She didn't want to lose him and was afraid that he might die jumping a second time into the spring. She sobbed, "Whatever you do, don't die on me! Do you understand that, you baka!" Ranma, uncharacteristically gently, leaned his head down and kissed the top of her head. Slowly wrapping his arms around a sobbing Akane, he turned his favorite insult into a confession of his love, as he whispered into her ear, "Shh, yes, my kawaiikune tomboy, I promise." --------------------------------------------------------------------- I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter. I was originally planning on making this chapter much longer. Ranma still has visits with his other fiancees to face. Kasumi will eventually have to cope with what she saw. Where is Ryoga? All this and more, in the next Chapter of Alternatives. Ja ne, Mike Allen http://home1.gte.net/allenmk PS. Please email me with your thoughts, feelings and suggestions. I love to know that people are reading what I write.