"Well, it took five days but we're finally here," Mousse announced with a relieved sigh, stopping to drop his heavy backpack to the ground and staring at the eerie terrain in front of him. "Jusenkyo."

"And if there's a clue about that stupid fake woman, we'll surely find it!" Shampoo declared with a pleased grin. She hoped the guide had heard something about Genma's plans after visiting the cursed springs, and if he hadn't, they should at least be able to look at the guestbook to know where he came from.

"Strange… there's nobody here," Mousse said, adjusting his glasses and listening attentively as he looked at his surroundings. "The guide should be around the entrance but it seems he isn't."

"Well, it is early," Shampoo told him. "He's probably still at home, let's go visit him. I've heard he lives somewhere deeper in Jusenkyo, we shouldn't have trouble finding his house."

"If you insist," the young man agreed.

Behind them…

"We could have gotten here days ago if she hadn't insisted on visiting every farm and looking at all the roads in the area," Pink whispered to her sister, hoping Shampoo couldn't hear her complaining.

"I really don't want to be here," Link muttered back, her voice tinted with fear. "What if we fall in one of those cursed springs? It would be horrible!"

"Stop gossiping and come with us!" Shampoo interrupted then, noticing the twins weren't paying attention.

"And be careful, you don't want to have any accidents here," Mousse warned.

Having no other choice but to obey, Pink and Link again lamented their misfortune and followed behind Mousse and Shampoo, paying close attention to where they stood.

Walking through the muddy, slippery dirt roads that circled the dangerous ponds of cursed water was not a simple task if you were not familiar with the terrain and knew where and how to step. The Amazon teenagers knew about this having heard of such difficulties from the adults in their village and were having a relatively easy time making their way through Jusenkyo, even if Mousse had to keep his glasses on and make sure he stayed close enough to Shampoo to avoid any missteps. The herbalist twins, on the other hand, had no such advantage, which meant every step they took had to be as slow and calculated as possible, and there were moments when both girls felt it would be safer to simply crawl to their destination.

Finally, after several minutes traversing the treacherous terrain, following the only telephone line above them as a way to locate the guide's cabin, the four teenagers arrived to the relatively high and dry area where the man lived. His small house was actually picturesque and well built, and more than enough for him, his wife and their daughter.

"Hi, my name is Plum!" a girl greeted, walking out of the house to meet the new customers with a polite smile. Plum had for a moment considered staying inside, since she had heard the Musk Dynasty had been acting strange recently but after peeking and seeing only four teenagers she figured it was safe to help them a bit. "What brings you travelers to Jusenkyo?"

"We're looking for the guide," Shampoo said. "Where is he?"

"My father and mother went to visit my uncle," Plum said. "They will return in a few hours, you can wait for them here if you want to."

"We don't," Link said before Shampoo or Mousse could speak. "In fact, it would be best if we leave this place before something bad happens to us if you please?"

"My sister's right, we have no need to be here any longer!" Pink stated.

"Shut up you two!" Shampoo snapped, staring at the twins so fiercely they paled in fear. "If the guide isn't here then we'll at least have a look at the guestbook."

"Yeah, can we do that?" Mousse asked Plum. "It would be really helpful.

"I'm not sure…" the girl blinked, not sure her father would approve. "It's not a common request."

"Let us see it if you please?" Link said, smiling and trying to sound as nice as possible. "It would really help us."

Staring at the four teenagers, Plum took in a deep breath, sighed and then shrugged. It wouldn't hurt if she let them read the book, would it? Besides, she was starting to think these four visitors were trouble, and she didn't want to get involved in anything that could end up being problematic.

"Oh, well, you have to register anyway," she said and walked back to her house. "Please follow me. Would you like something to drink? I can reheat some tea if you want."

A few minutes later…

Shampoo stared hard at the pages as if by doing so she would be able to change the information written in them into what she desired. She was feeling incredibly frustrated and wondered why the guide had even accepted this. Did they not have any sort of rules and regulations regarding what visitors to Jusenkyo had to write when they registered?

"What is it?" Mousse asked.

"There's nothing useful in the guestbook, I imagine," Link guessed.

"I just can't believe this!" Shampoo groaned as she showed Mousse the page where Genma had scribbled his name. "It's… it's so stupid!"

Adjusting his glasses, Mousse grabbed the guestbook and read out loud.

"Name: Genma Saotome. Age: Confidential. Address: Somewhere in Japan."

Frowning, Mousse read the line directly below Genma's information.

"Name: Ranma Saotome. Age: 16. Address: I live with my pop."

He slowly put the guestbook back on the table and stared at Plum.

"Is this a joke?" He asked.

"No, it's not," the girl said feeling a bit ashamed. "I'm sorry if it isn't what you wanted, but my dad can't read Japanese and we didn't know what that man and his son wrote until my mom looked at the book later that day."

"We came all the way here for this?" Pink exclaimed, so upset she no longer cared if Shampoo got angry. "You could have asked this information to that man in your own village, there was no need to visit Jusenkyo!"

"My sister does have a point; this was a waste of time, if you please," Link seconded. "We put ourselves in danger for nothing."

"Well, at least now we know Genma and Ranma aren't particularly honest…" Mousse opined, trying to decide what to do next. The only places they hadn't gone yet were Mount Phoenix and the Musk territory, and he honestly didn't want to visit them unless Shampoo asked him.

"What now?" Pink asked with an exasperated huff. "Where are you dragging us now, to a pit of snakes or a tiger's den? I can't think of many places more dangerous than Jusenkyo!"

"Jusenkyo isn't that dangerous…" Plum said in a low voice but was ignored by the four quarreling teenagers.

"I would very much appreciate if you let us go back home if you please," Link added. "We've done all you've asked so far, I think we deserve to be released."

"What my sister said!" Pink added. "And your ideas have gotten us nowhere so far, I bet we could do better on our own!"

Shampoo was not in a good mood, and the twins' accusations were not helping improve her disposition at all. Frowning, the young Amazon turned to look at Pink and Link. It seemed that she would punch them into a pulp right there, but she instead sucked in a deep breath and then smiled a friendly, polite smile at them.

"We have nothing else to do here, let's go back home," Shampoo announced. "Thank you for your help, Plum."

And saying nothing more, Shampoo walked out of the cabin, the other three teenagers hurrying to follow her.

Not too long after…

They were walking through a clearing, Jusenkyo behind them. The twins walked with their eyes glued to Shampoo's back; the amazon's peaceful behavior was unnatural, and it was driving a stake of fear through their chests. What was Shampoo planning?

"Pink, Link…" Shampoo called, making a sudden stop. "You want to go back to Yakusai, right?"

"Yes!" both twins nodded. "Can we, if you please?"

"Of course, you can!" the purple-haired girl smiled. "As long as you swear you'll keep looking for that redheaded fake-woman and that other boy. And that you will report anything you find to my family in Joketsuzoku."

"We swear!" Link promised.

"Of course we do!" Pink agreed.

"Excellent," Shampoo said approaching the twins with a grin so vicious it make the two other girls sweat cold, "most excellent!"

"Ah…" Link started. "You… you're angry, aren't you?"

"But we didn't do anything bad!" Pink said.

"You embarrassed me in front of the Jusenkyo guide's daughter!" Shampoo hissed, unleashing her fury at last. "That is unforgivable!"

"We didn't mean to!" Pink and Link screamed, trembling with terror. "Forgive us, if you please!"

"It's too late to apologize! So you wanted to go home? Fine, let me help you!" Shampoo yelled, dashing at the twins to deliver a powerful roundhouse kick that sent both Pink and Link flying in the direction of Yakusai. "And you better report to my mother if you see that stupid redhead!"

"We won't forget this, Shampooooo!" Pink managed to scream back, her voice fading as she and her twin vanished in the distance.

"Feeling better?" Mousse asked, hands under his sleeves as he shook his head, thinking Shampoo had overreacted but knowing it was best to just let her vent for the time being.

"Much better," she said.

"What do you want to do now?"

"Visit Musk territory," she said, gravely staring at the road ahead. "Most farmers told us they were acting strange so we may be able to hear something useful. Perhaps they captured our redheaded friend, don't you think?"

"No, I don't think so," Mousse answered, thoughtful. "But I guess it's worth a look."

And so, the two teenagers took the road into the mountain range where the Musk castle was…

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

The intermittent buzzing of a few hundred stunned wasps rose from the ground, and the smiling redhead standing in the middle of the defeated swarm of aggressive insects could not hold back a prideful laugh as she pumped her right fist up, celebrating her recent victory.

"They're all down and I didn't get stung once! I finally did it!" she announced and then cleared the area around her covered by the grounded wasps with a light and graceful leap, landing right in front of Lotion. "I completed your training!"

"I can see that you did," the ancient woman said. "I must admit I'm impressed. You really are something else, Ranko."

"I am, ain't I?" she chuckled. Ranko then looked at Ryoga, who was staring at her with a surprised expression on his face. "Who'd have thunk it, Ryo? I finally did it, I learned the Amaguriken!"

"Yeah, congratulations, Ranko, that was impressive!" the young Hibiki said, still quite amazed by the speed Ranko had exhibited just a moment ago, when she moved her arms so fast they became a blur around her, dropping wasps left and right with incredible speed.

"So I guess that means I'm better'n you…" she teased, leaning forward to him with a toothy smirk.

"What…?" Royga who had been considering Ranko looked very cute right then, took immediate offense at having his martial arts skills underestimated. "I'll have you know I am very close to learning the Bakusai Tenketsu!"

"Doesn't count, I did it first!" she boasted with a somewhat arrogant sneer.

"Only because you started training before me today!" he growled, his wounded pride burning like a torch. "Well, you'll see, I will learn my technique today or my name is not Hibiki Ryoga!"

"Oh? If you can't then I'll have'ta give you a new name," Ranko grinned. "Somethin' cute you know? Hey, I know! You'll be Hibiki Charlotte!"

"That… that sounds like a pet pig's name!" the lost boy complained, knowing quite well Ranko would not stop calling him that if she had the chance. "But it'll never happen… Lotion, let's start training now!"

Despite herself, the old woman couldn't hold back a chuckle, thinking that maybe these children were starting to grow on her. She had to admit teaching them was a nice change of pace, even fun at times. It also made her wish she could teach her own great-grandson some of her techniques, but maybe soon she would finally have the opportunity to give that boy some training.

"Well, since you're so eager…" she said as she pointed at the boulders Ryoga used for practice, "start rolling those rocks uphill!"

A few hours later…

The boulder was about to hit him, it would be a matter of seconds now. Ryoga, chained again to a tall rock, gritted his teeth and closed his eyes. He was trying to do the thing Lotion had instructed him and while he could now properly feel the point of fracture in the approaching rock, he still couldn't completely locate it, because it always smashed him before he could.

He remembered then Ranko's words about being better than him and how she would call him 'Charlotte' if he couldn't master his technique. Ryoga wouldn't admit it, but being below Ranko in martial arts was torturing him in ways he hadn't experienced since Ranma Saotome used to surpass him every day during recess. Ryoga could actually live with not being the best, but he hated when people teased him about not being good enough. Besides, how could he stand as a trustworthy man beside Ranko if she surpassed him? If she really got stronger than him, she may even decide she didn't need his help anymore, and then she would leave him!

The young Hibiki found the idea of losing Ranko's friendship too painful to consider, so he instead returned his attention to the approaching boulder. The breaking point appeared in his mind then, clear and shiny. All he had to do was to make sure he didn't lose it and…

He shot his right arm forward, making sure to infuse some of his ki into the tip of his index finger, hoping for the best and then…

The boulder exploded sending pebbles flying all around!

Ryoga, who received most of the blast, was surprised the rocky shrapnel hadn't even stung him. He wondered why, but before he could find an answer, Ranko's loud congratulations captured his attention. He looked up and saw she was rushing down the slope, her face adorned with a big grin as she waved at him. It seemed she was actually happy to see he had learned his technique.

'She's… she's so pretty…' Ryoga thought with a smile, realizing then he was starting to feel more than friendship for Ranko and finding that even if that would complicate things, he actually didn't mind.

"Well done, Charlotte!" Ranko said when she finally bounced next to her friend. She laughed and then pressed her index finger to his nose. "Oh, you should see your face now, Ryo!"

"You said you wouldn't call me that!" He complained, the impact caused by her attractiveness fading thanks to how her joke affected him. He took in a deep breath to calm down, feeling a bit disappointed this was how she congratulated him. Lowering his head, Ryoga pushed his disenchantment away and flexed his arms, easily breaking the chains restraining him. "And here I thought you'd be happy for me."

"I am happy for you, honest!" she said, finally understanding her joke had been in bad taste. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? I thought it'd be funny and stuff… seems I was wrong. Don't be angry at me, Ryoga, pleeeeease?"

She pointed her comment by puckering her lips and somehow managing to bat her eyelashes at him in a way that she imagined would multiply her natural appeal at least tenfold. Ryoga, already convinced Ranko was beautiful, had no way to resist her playful display of harmless coquetry, and blushing visibly while hoping his nose did not erupt in a geyser of blood, he managed to nod at her.

"Alright, just don't… don't do it again. I don't like being called Charlotte, ok?" he asked then focused her attention on Lotion, who was slowly walking towards them in order to avoid being overwhelmed by Ranko's cuteness.

"Ok, gotcha," Ranko said, silently watching as he walked towards Lotion without responding or even turning to look back at her. Why the sudden change? Was he angry and ignoring her? The idea made her feel somewhat alarmed. Why would he do that? The joke wasn't even that bad, was it?

The redhead shook her head, not liking how cold the idea of Ryoga ignoring her and being angry at her was making her feel. Not liking this sensation at all and deciding it was troubling her, Ranko harrumphed and walked past him, because who cared if he was angry? Her joke had been harmless so it was his fault for being so touchy. And if she felt somewhat depressed by how he acted then… then that was his fault, too!

"Hey Lotion, we've both finished the training, now what?" She asked, not letting Ryoga speak. Petty, she knew, but she was confused by how Ryoga's behavior made her feel so she simply decided to let her frustration show. Perhaps that way the idiot would understand how she felt.

"Now you two get a reward," Lotion said, wondering why the girl was behaving so odd. Perhaps she had argued with Ryoga? The ancient Amazon thought that could be possible, so she ignored the young redhead and instead looked at the young Hibiki. "You did a great job learning the Bakusai Tenketsu so quickly, and I think learning the next technique I have in mind will be easy for you and your friend."

"You think so?" Ryoga asked.

"What kind of reward are we getting?" Ranko cut in, wondering if she would get some medicine for her amnesia or something similar.

"Well to answer your questions, yes I do think so," Lotion said, and then she looked at Ranko. "As for the reward, I was considering cooking something special for dinner. You two have been eating only ramen and vegetables since I took you in, so I'll give you some meat tonight."

"You'll give us meat?" Ranko asked as her mouth watered. The last time she had eaten a decent meal with any kind of meat had been when she and Ryoga worked at that inn a while ago, "Beef or pork?"

"I have lamb," the old woman answered. "Do you like it?"

"I do," Ryoga said, recalling a time he had tried it with a farmer he once met. "I really appreciate that you'll share with us, thank you."

"I've never eaten it that I remember," Ranko sighed. "I'll have to try it."

"But since it's still early and I'm the one who will cook…" Lotion started.

"What?" the redhead asked, not liking the sparkle in the old crone's eyes.

"You'll have to help me with some chores," Lotion completed. "You've already seen I keep some animals here, and also know I grow my own vegetables. I want you to feed my animals and water my plants. Once you're done, we'll have a nice dinner."

"Why do I think you had this all planned?" the redhead groaned. "We completed the training; we should be getting a reward without you giving us extra work!"

"Well, if you want to have lamb for dinner you'll have to do it," the amazon sentenced. "Or would you rather have steamed vegetables tonight again?"

"You do enjoy this, don't you?" Ranko frowned.

"Not more than necessary," the old woman said with a chuckle. "I'll be in the kitchen, let me know when you're done with your duties."

"Oh, cheer up, Ranko. It's not so bad," Ryoga said once Lotion was out of earshot. "It's better than just sitting around doing nothing, right?"

"Sitting around doing nothing would be great right now; I am a little tired!" she disputed, and then remembered she was supposed to be upset with him. "And why are we talking, anyway? Every time I say something you get all offended and everything."

"I… of course, I don't!" He said. "Is this about earlier? Look, I don't like it when people call me names, ok? It brings back bad memories."

"At least you have memories, my earliest ones are all…" she made a pause, realizing her earliest memories that she actually enjoyed all involved him. This new understanding dissipated her anger, because how could she be angry at him over something so trivial? Ryoga was… he was her only constant, the only part of her current life that she could rely on. Feeling a bit guilty, she sighed and waved at him so he followed her. "Forget it, Ryo… let's just do what that mummy said, okay?"

"Sure, ok," he agreed, a bit confused by her behavior, but seeing she had calmed down he decided it was best to simply agree and let things cool down.

They had split the chores. Ranko, not wanting to get too dirty and preferring to avoid the smell she could detect coming from the pen, had insisted Ryoga fed the animals, claiming she wasn't good with them and that she would rather water the plants.

And so, the redhead was now busy with that task. She first checked the vegetables weren't bird damaged or infested with bugs or anything weird, and after that used an old manual pump and a long hose to send water through the rows crossing through the field. Luckily, she completed her part of the chores quickly, as she was starting to get bored.

"He's really been there for me since day one hasn't he? I… I guess he's truly helped me a lot," she thought as she rolled up the hose. She ended up thinking about Ryoga again, as she had nothing better to do, and after some consideration, she reached the conclusion that he was more than a good friend. He was the only good thing in her life since she lost her memories. "Without him… I don't know what would've happened when that Musk tracker attacked me, or when that crazy amazon showed up with her boyfriend, and Ryoga sure helped when we had to escape Yakusai… and he did get us jobs at that inn… he's… he's so reliable."

Ranko placed the hose where she found it and looked at the pen on the other side of Lotion's orchard. She couldn't help smiling when she heard Ryoga's voice as he called the animals while he fed them. The wind caressed her skin then, and a sudden feeling of calmness invaded her. It was an emotion she enjoyed, because ever since she woke up with amnesia her life had been very hectic, with hardly a moment to relax.

"It's rather nice…" she muttered, enjoying the relative quietness around her. "No crazy amazons or Musk trackers or herbalists chasing me… yep, this is good."

Of course, she didn't exactly like the idea of living on a farm doing chores like these, but she believed she could probably get used to them with enough time, particularly if it meant having the chance to enjoy a peaceful existence.

"Can't think of that now, I have to get my brain fixed first," Ranko muttered. She heard Ryoga's voice again, complaining about something the hens and the rooster were doing. Her natural curiosity got the best of her, and wondering if he was having trouble, she headed to the pen.

…

Ryoga had agreed to feed the animals for one very important reason: it was a task that would allow him to stay in the pen or close to it, which meant he could avoid getting lost as long he focused and didn't wander around. In the end, he had a very easy time doing what Lotion had asked them to do. The only animals he had to feed a different kind of food where the chickens, but even then it was easy to do without much trouble.

Or so he thought. While the pigs, goats and the two cows had been quite cooperative, the birds were not. The rooster was for some reason acting very aggressively, going after Ryoga every single time he tried to approach the hens. Finally, after just letting the rooster perched on his head and tolerating his continuous pecking, Ryoga finished his chores. Standing straight and shaking his head left and right a couple of times to get rid of the aggravating bird, he finally walked out of the pen, brushing off some feathers with his hands as he walked. He was sweaty and a little dusty, but he had to admit working with the animals hadn't been so bad and Ryoga was actually starting to enjoy himself; perhaps, he decided, life in a farm suited him well.

He looked to his left and was surprised to see her leaning on the fence separating the pen from Lotion's house. She was smiling at him and it seemed she was feeling happy again. Ryoga smiled back and approached her, never taking his eyes from hers. The young Hibiki was glad that she was in a good mood again, he simply enjoyed her company much more that way.

"Hey, there, farm boy," she greeted. "Once again I finished before you."

"Some Roosters just didn't feel like cooperating is all," Ryoga shrugged while dusting a feather off his shoulder. "And since you completed your chores first then I guess that makes you a great farm girl, huh?"

"Heh, good one. I guess I deserve that," Ranko said and giggled in a decidedly feminine manner, something that she found odd so she stopped. Giggling wasn't something she did often, as she normally chuckled or just laughed, and she wondered if that is how she used to react when she had her memories. Maybe she was recovering some of her old habits?

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

"What are you thinking?"

"Nothing in particular, just wondering if what I did just now was something… something a real girl would do?" She wondered, looking up at the clouds. "Perhaps that's what I did before my accident?"

"Ranko, you are a girl," Ryoga said, a bit confused by her words.

"I know but… sometimes I feel…" she sighed. "Forget it, Ryo. It's complicated and I'm not sure I can explain it right now."

"Oh… ok, but you can talk to me later if you want to," he offered, understanding it was best to just let her be so he wouldn't risk upsetting her again.

"Anyway, this was a good day, no?" Ranko asked. "We finished our training and we're having meat for dinner!"

"Yeah, it was," Ryoga smiled. "You know, I was thinking when I was feeding the animals and I realized that I didn't get hurt."

"Well, that's pretty obvious," she rolled her eyes. "You're standing there."

"No, I mean, when that boulder exploded, I was hit by the blast and I didn't even flinch," Ryoga explained. "And I'm sure I'm way stronger than before I started learning the Bakusai Tenketsu."

"No kidding, rolling up those huge boulders uphill every day, getting smashed into a pulp, and then there are all those things Lotion always does to us, like making us fight her over stupid things or chasing her just because she feels like it," Ranko then scratched the back of her head, pensive and considering her own progress. "But you're right, Ryo. I noticed earlier that I got faster, you know? Not to mention my movements are much more precise than before, and perhaps I even got a little stronger, too."

"I guess all that was actually extra training," he concluded. "I must admit that woman knows what she's doing."

"Yeah, as hard to believe as it is…" she said.

The pair went silent then, each contemplating the effects of Lotion's training, finding a newfound respect for the old woman even if her training methods were something both of them completely disapproved of.

It was then that Ryoga, who was also leaning on the fence, reached for the hem of his shirt and pulled it up, using it to wipe the sweat off his brow. He could have used one of his bandanas, but he didn't feel like untying one so he instead used the next best thing he had at hand. What Ryoga didn't realize, was that he had unintentionally given Ranko a full look at his torso.

[https://www.deviantart.com/kiyomumitsue/art/Lost-Together-RyoRan-Chapter-6-scene-Recoloring-768852177]

'What the hell is this idiot doing?' Ranko wondered. She had been thinking about her training when a hint of movement to her side caught her attention, so she turned to look, only to find Ryoga lifting his shirt up to clean his face with it, revealing his deliciously well-sculpted torso in the process. The redhead felt her body temperature rise at the image, her mind absorbing every single detail of Ryoga's perfectly chiseled abdomen and chest. She breathed deeply as a strong feeling of longingness invaded her. She tried to look away but she found it impossible, her gaze was fixed on his body and she couldn't stop looking at him. Ranko suddenly understood that she liked this, perhaps even more than what she should.

'It's as if I wanted his body…' she thought, feeling her flesh getting warmer the more she looked at him. 'Oh, no… am I a pervert? Or is this because I used to have a boyfriend as hot as Ryoga?'

Not really thinking, following only what she believed were her female instincts, Ranko moved closer to Ryoga, and when he dropped his shirt and took in a deep breath she slowly reached to touch his arm, her hand gently pressing against his bicep. Feeling the hard muscle sent a shiver of emotion all over her body. Why, why did she wish she could have this? It made no sense to her, but it was as if deep down she wanted to have Ryoga's body all for herself.

"Yours is so big, hard and firm, Ryo," she muttered. "It's not fair, my arms are so slim and soft and small compared to yours…"

The first thing Ryoga did when he felt Ranko's hand over his skin was to freeze, then reach up to pinch his itching nose as hard as he could. What was Ranko doing? Surely she knew if she kept touching him like this…

No, he had to control himself. Going by what she was saying it seemed she was not flirting with him. Good, then that meant he could simply focus on her words and that way he wouldn't bleed into a comma. What was she saying? That it was unfair her arm was smaller than his?

That was nonsense.

"Ranko, you…" Ryoga called, gently holding her hand in his. "You are perfect as you are… I mean… no, wait… I really mean that."

"You do?" she asked, looking him in the eye, suddenly realizing how close they were to each other and finding she didn't mind it. In fact, she thought it felt rather nice.

"Y-yes…" he whispered, moving a little closer, wondering if it would be ok to hold her by the shoulders. "Yes, I think so."

"Thanks, Ryo…" she smiled, accepting his proximity. He was very close now, close enough for her to feel his breath on her skin. All he had to do was to move a few inches more and then their lips would touch.

'But if he kisses me…' Ranko felt her lips dry so she opened them slightly not daring to use her tongue to wet them as she thought that would be too enticing and a little inadequate. Still, the idea of Ryoga kissing her was filling her with mixed feelings. She was shy of course, not sure if she wanted to give him her "first" kiss, but at the same time she knew she wouldn't mind much if it happened, maybe she would even like it. What really confused her, however, was the tiny, almost imperceptible and microscopic part of her mind that balked at the idea of kissing a boy.

Maybe she was afraid of betraying a possible boyfriend? Whatever it was, it was too small to be of any importance, so she instead returned to the more appealing, and certainly more feminine, idea of wondering how kissing Ryoga would feel.

It was then that she heard it.

A sound that sent a wave of absolute horror all over her body.

A sound so terrible she felt her stomach twisting into knots.

A cat's meow.

It scared her so badly she took a step back and started looking around nervously, sweat crowning her brow as she frantically tried to locate the abominable feline she knew was prowling near.

"Did you hear it?" She asked, her face a little pale with terror. "I'm sure it was a cat!"

"I… I'm sorry, I didn't," Ryoga said, his heart still beating wildly in his chest. He simply couldn't understand what had happened here! One moment he was sure he would have his first kiss with Ranko, the girl he had come to care about so strongly and the next she almost shoved him away and started shaking like a leaf in the wind. "Are you sure you heard a cat?"

"Of course I'm sure, I swear!" she answered. "You just weren't paying attention because... we…"

Understanding what she was about to say, and now that the mood was gone finding she just wasn't able to complete the thought, Ranko simply took in a long, deep breath and tried to relax. This was not Ryoga's fault, and it wasn't her fault either. It was the fault of that cat she heard.

He reached for her shoulder again, but she avoided his hand and started walking towards Lotion's cabin. The idea of being in a place where a cat may be near was something she just couldn't deal with right then.

"Let's go see if Lotion needs help cooking that lamb, ok?" she said without stopping to look back at him. "We can talk about… about what we were doing later if you want to. Right now I just want to be inside."

Too confused to think of any response, Ryoga simply nodded and followed her.

Behind them, a gray cat spied from a hole under the old toolshed next to the pen. The stealthy feline meowed again as it stretched and then hurried after the two teenagers, obviously not wanting to be left out of the house…

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

Standing before Lord Herb Mint and Lime bowed as the might dragon ruler looked to his two subordinates, he couldn't help but sigh as he saw that Lime hadn't been carrying a defeated redheaded.

"Before you say anything! We tried everything!" Mint announced as he held his hands out in front of him.

"You know how good Mint's nose is Lord Herb!" Lime chimed in if only to defend his friend from the none too happy looking, dragon leader.

Sumac watched from a distance, petting his adorable cat while it slept in his arms, clearly, the feline hadn't a care in the world.

"I got her scent but whenever we get a trail it suddenly vanishes!" Mint explained clenching a fist.

"We even fund some tracks that vanished completely without a trace!" Lime further added to this confusing dilemma as the two looked to Herb with looks of confidence and partial fear.

"I expected more from you two..." Herb spoke in annoyance as he crossed his arms and looked away from the two in a huff.

"I swear it was impossible! It's like he could use magic to travel or something!" Mint exclaimed as he looked unsure as to how he was going to explain this any more clearly than he could.

"That or get unbelievably lost!" Lime whined as he squinted his eyes shut, almost like he was experiencing a minor case of PTSD.

Herb weighed this news and narrowed his eyes, listening to every word coming out from his friend's mouths.

Herb said nothing for while he thoughts the situation over, "Whatever is going on you're the only one who has any idea what she smells like..." he began as he turned around and walked towards the windowsill, "So rest up and begin your search again soon..." Herb ordered, flapping his cape behind him.

"We won't let you down! I'll bring that woman back naked if I have to!" Mint exclaimed while exhaling through his nostrils.

"And I'll help!" Lime pumped his fist next to Mint as it seemed that they burned with determination... although one had to wonder what kind of determination.

"T-Those are not your orders! Now resupply and get going!" Herb commanded as his friends smiled widely before running out of the chambers. "Those two I swear... ever since they came of... age... they've been so..." he sighed as he let his arms fall to his sides.

"Any ideas, Sumac...?" he asked looking to his trusted advisor.

"We could try seeking help from the Amazon's or the Herbalists," he mused as he stroked his chin while his cat rested in his arms and even began to purr lightly. "If we're particularly desperate we can try the bird people of Mount Pheonix..." Sumac's voice dragged to a crawl as he reached the end of his sentence.

"I would rather not, their leader is nothing more than a spoiled child..." Herb stated as he frowned at the very idea.

"I did say if we were desperate..." Sumac smiled while scratching his cat behind the ears while it slept, causing the cat's ear to twitch a couple of times.

"So we'll begin by asking the Amazon's and Herbalists if they've seen anything ..." Herb furrowed his brow as he looked as though he were glaring. "I don't like the idea of joining forces with the people of Mount Phoenix if I have to..." Lord Herb looked away from Sumac.

"Mrowwww..." Sumac's cat yawned in a very low tone, however, it was enough to make Herb stray from his thoughts.

"Would you please get rid of that cat…" Herb commanded as he clearly had enough of it in his presence, especially at such a time.

"My apologies Lord Herb but it was a gift from my Granddaughter and I rather like tabbies..." He spoke calmly as he put his hand on it, hopefully keeping the cat from drawing more attention to it.

Herb clenched his fists and closed his eyes, groaning in annoyance, "Next time leave it at home, this is no place for-" Herb was about to continue but saw a young soldier in a similar getup to Lime walk over to them in a hurried pace.

"Lord Herb! There's been a report of some intruders near the border with Jusenkyo!" the ape-like man exclaimed as he clanked the pommel of his weapon.

"It may be the girl..." Sumac comments as he was now simply holding his cat in both arms.

"Soldier I want you to tell Mint and Lime that they are to capture these intruders before anything else is that understood...?"

The soldier simply bows his head before heading out.

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From Lotion's kitchen sat the three martial artists around a wooden table, their looks of contentment painted thickly across their faces while their stomaches quietly digested their food.

While leaning her elbow on the table and resting her cheek in her hand Ranko picked her teeth with a toothpick, "Gotta' say, old-timer..." flicking it into the trash bin nearby. "That was really good..."

"Same..." Ryoga muttered as he leaned back in his seat with his hands on his belly.

"Still with the lack of manners, huh?" Lotion commented before closing her eyes and chuckling a little. "Well, regardless, I'm glad you thought so..." she finished as she sat up from her chair and hopped to the ground before crossing her arms and walking away.

"Where ya headed to?" Ranko asked.

"I'm surprised you care," she stopped before looking over her shoulder. "I'm gonna go lay down but in the meantime I expect you two to clean up this mess..."

"I'd say I'm surprised but that'd be lying..." Ranko scoffed but didn't seem all too bothered as she passively fanned her hand in dismissal.

"Someone has to, I suppose..." Ryoga commented as he put his hand on the table, standing immediately after.

"Let's just get it over with..." she muttered with her eyes closed as she followed Ryoga's example and also came to a stand, the two going over to the sink behind them.

"Excellent," the old sage commented as she continued onto the next room or rather would have if she hadn't stopped right under the doorway. "Consider this practice for when you're both married..." she snickered with her sleeve over her protruding upper lip.

"D-don't make this weird!" Ranko grunted as she put her dish next to the sink.

Ryoga flinched so badly that he nearly dropped his plate in the process, luckily, he managed to catch himself before he could drop it, stacking his dish atop Ranko's right after, "It-it's just a chore!" he defended as he closed his eyes and tried his best to keep a still face, although the image of Ranko in an apron did pop into mind.

He really hoped he wasn't at the center of Ranko's attention.

"Geez..." Ranko complained as she turned the sink faucet on, filling the sink with water.

All they heard was soft laughter followed by the sound of static and finally, flute music, a soft singing geisha voice echoed throughout the house as the two were pretty much completely ignored by now.

Rolling his eyes the Lost Boy stared where Lotion had last been and at the corner of his eye spotted her leftover dish, he closed his eyes and went to retrieve the recently used tableware. "Can you believe her sometimes...?" Ryoga asked with his eyes closed, blushing a little.

"Yeah..." Ranko froze as she pulled her hand back from the lukewarm water that burned her. "Ah!" she screamed as she fell backward and bumped against Ryoga as he caught her from falling while his other held the tray up.

"I heard you scream!" Ryoga exclaimed as he to her, looking for any signs of injury. "Are you alright?" He asked as he was a little too close for comfort, which, upon realizing that little tidbit, caused the two to jump off each other quicker than a cat running away from being spritzed with water.

"I'm alright, d-don't worry about it..." Ranko stuttered as she regained her footing and put some distance between herself and her friend.

"How can't I worry about it?" Ryoga questioned, "All you did was touch some water..." Ryoga stopped as he finally found himself looking down at her, noticing that she was oddly timid now.

"Guess there's no point in hiding it now..." Ranko reached behind her head and closed her eyes, trying to organize her thoughts as best she could.

"Is it all water or...?" Ryoga asked while stacking Lotion's dish atop the others.

"What? No!" Ranko shook her head and brought her arm down, twirling her wrist. "It's just anything even at lukewarm, kinda' burns..."

"Whoa... any idea how long has this been a problem for you?"

"Don't know," Ranko replied plainly as she looked at the hand she had hurt. "For all I know, I could've been born with this..." she dropped her hand to her side and closed her eyes, letting out a sigh of frustration.

Everything she said was met with an odd sort of confusion although he had to admit to himself that he might've preferred her issue to his own directional curse, 'It's weird but who says my own problem isn't weird...?' Ryoga thought as an instance of him and an Eskimo talking.

"Sorry if I'm weirding you out..." she scoffed as she looked away from him, feeling that his lack of a response was probably a negative one.

The Lost Boy's head shoot up quicker than a deer hearing gunfire, so naturally, he panicked briefly before, 'Should I say we all have our own secrets, or would that sound like I'm giving myself away!?' He thought before closing his eyes and putting a hand on Ranko's shoulder. "It's alright! Really!" Ryoga assured as he smiled awkwardly.

"If it helps the old crow told me she knows a cure for it..." Ranko said as if she needed to assure Ryoga that this problem of hers would only be temporary, she may not have had any idea about her background but the fact that 'this' could discourage a healthy and or natural relationship.

"That's great news!" Ryoga's expression softened considerably as she voiced the possible cure. "Besides you're not alone, remember?"

"H-huh?" She replied in confusion.

"I have that whole ki imbalance thing going on..." He assured.

Ranko felt as though Ryoga's mood was contagious as she too found herself smiling just as kindly as he was, she felt overwhelmed by this feeling of weightlessness in her chest, "Oh yeah..." she admitted before chuckling lightly.

"Guess that means we're a couple of weirdos..." Ryoga suggested with his eyes closed, chuckling a little as he put his hand down and went over to the sink in order to stop the sink from overfilling, lucky for them Ranko hadn't turned the water pressure valve too much.

"Guess that means this weirdo is drying then..." Ranko said as she took the drying cloth and watched as Ryoga pulled up his sleeves before reaching over to the nearby shampoo bottle.

"For now..." Ryoga said as he took a nearby sponge and grabbed a dish atop the stack they had made.

"If we ever wash dishes again," Ranko said, looking over at him with a bright smile,"I'll wash and you dry!"

"Yes... d-dear..." Ryoga choked a little and he tried his own version of teasing her, all while scrubbing his first dish.

"N-not you too..." Ranko rolled her eyes with a faint blush on her face as she took the now cleaned dish and dried it before stacking it on the left side of the sink.

"Figured it was time for a taste of your own medicine..." Ryoga announced as he closed his eyes and picked up another plate, smiling proudly.

Ranko quirked a brow, 'Fighting fire with fire, huh?' Ranko thought with a coy inner voice, "Oh, Ryoga sweetie, you're such a-a-a" she started until she suddenly stopped, her eyes shot way open as she looked down to her pants' leg.

Upon hearing her voice change to a more seductive tone the Lost Boy found his confidence wavering, then to hear her repeat herself without pause caused Ryoga to wonder what was wrong.

"C-Cat!" Ranko exclaimed as she felt the terrifying house pet gently rub against her leg as if it had earned that sense of admiration.

"I'm a what…?" Ryoga stopped and blinked in confusion, just to see that Ranko was looking down at an adorable housecat just seeking attention.

Said cat opened its eyes as it saw that it was gaining no attention from the redhead, it narrowed its eyes and meowed in a low tone before leaping at the frozen girl trying to not lose her cool. Only for her efforts to be vain as suddenly she lost all wits to her and ran as if she had just seen her worst nightmares come to life. "Get it off! Get it off!" Ranko pleaded as she ran while trying to pray the cat off her face.

"Ranko! Calm down!" Ryoga exclaimed as he reached his hand out to her, aiming for the cat on her face but seeing as she was far too scared to hold still he could only get close enough before Ranko ran into the living room.

"What's going on...? I was just about to doze off..." Lotion muttered as she saw Ranko running with a cat glued to her face. "What're you doing with my cat!? C-Careful! You'll-"

Smash!

"Break something..." Lotion muttered as she put her hands up her sleeves and attempted to calm her anger.

"I'm trying to help but she's freaking out too much!" Ryoga exclaimed as he chased Ranko around the coffee table once before running out the room out the exit, or rather through it as she rammed through it, despite this the cat remained unharmed and clung to her like a stubborn mule before she ran over to the nearby trees, screaming the entire time.

"It's just a cat! Rankooo!" The Lost Boy pleaded in hopes of easing the nervous wreck of a friend, following her a little way into the forest as she was rather fast when she was scared for her life.

"I can't see her!" Lotion exclaimed stopping as she couldn't even hear the redhead's hurried footprints.

"Me either!" Ryoga's eyes darted around as he listened to his environment.

Snap!

"There!" both Lotion and Ryoga shouted as they turned to their right and saw the familiar gray and white cat as it walked over to Lotion and meowed as if expecting some food.

"Where's Ranko?"

"If she got it off her face then shouldn't she be here?"

"Perhaps she is simply in too much shock to call out to us, phobias are often complicated..."

"Meow..." A feline but feminine-sounding tone echoed up on a tree branch.

"Ranko!?" Ryoga exclaimed as he saw his friend perched on a tree branch like a cat.

"Wait a minute..." Lotion's eyes widened as she stared at the redhead.

"...Mrow..." Ranko stared at Lotion for a second before standing on all fours and hissing at the perplexed elder.

"What's wrong with her?" Ryoga questioned as he turned to the aged martial artist.

"I can't believe she's been..." Lotion muttered before shaking her head and addressing Ryoga's question. "Boy, that's the Nekoken! A very dangerous form of martial arts attained from a taboo training method!"

"What!?" Ryoga demanded as he felt his face tighten from the anger he was unable to express.

"Don't scare her away or we might never find her..." Lotion warned as she noticed that Ranko's feline persona watched her every movement. "I'm going to try hitting her sleeping point..." Lotion announced as she seemingly vanished and appeared behind the cat-like redhead, only to have her dodge and hiss.

"Whoa..." Ryoga stopped and stared in amazement, at the fact that in this state Ranko was able to fend for herself but also hold her own against the likes of Lotion.

"Such intensity..." Lotion muttered before leaping towards the girl on the opposite side of the branch, the two meeting in the middle but moving so quickly that Ryoga's eyes had a hard time seeing it all.

"How can a training method make someone this good?" Ryoga continued to question as the two forms clashed in the air once more before separating and landing on different tree branches.

"Owww..." Lotion groaned as she saw a claw mark on her hand, a small trail of blood flowing from it. "She's much too hostile for me and someone of your experience to take..."

"I don't want to have to fight you while you're like this Ranko!" Ryoga exclaimed as his proclamation might as well have been made to a wall as Ranko didn't seem to react in the slightest, her focus was on the woman with the cane.

"Mrowwww!" Ranko let a primal-sounding groan as she lifted her hand and pulled her fingers inward, her body poised to strike as she looked as though she were some mighty beast backed into a corner.

"Ranko! Stop!" Ryoga commanded as if he were a master issuing a command to a disobedient pet, stomping one of his feet and balling his hands into fists.

"Meow...?" Ranko had come to a stop and turned her head to stare at him, tilting her head to one side in confusion before quickly looking at Lotion and then immediately dashing away deeper into the forest.

"Ranko!" Ryoga called out as he reached his hand out towards Ranko.

"After her! She doesn't seem to trust me but she seems willing to listen to you!" Lotion said as she immediately kept pace with Ryoga, watching as Ranko leaped onto some trees as if she were some alley cat.

"I'm on it!" Ryoga replied as he noticed Lotion had stopped following him while he chased the somewhat faint image of his redheaded friend dashing away as if she were somehow the most athletic alley cat in the entire world.

He tried desperately to catch up, the mere idea of losing his friend scared him so much that he couldn't help but imagine her coming back to her old self and wondering why Ryoga had abandoned her, 'I can't let that happen!' Ryoga thought desperately as it caused him to squint his eyes in panic. "Ranko…!?" he shouted as he no longer had sight of the catgirl.

Landing on all fours Ranko looked over her shoulder, she hunched her back before pushing her hands out in front of her, stretching like some housecat after a good nap.

"Ranko!"

The feline mindset in control opened her eyes and looked in the direction of Ryoga's voice, blinking in what could only be described as a cat-like curiosity, she sat up and waited atop a tree.

"Where are you!?" Ryoga exclaimed as he looked as though he had lost all hope, 'Wait... I'm this far out, lost sight of Ranko, and have no idea how to get back to Lotion's...' he thought, letting the weight of the situation he was settling in. "Where am I...?" he muttered to himself as he began to slow down.

It was then Ryoga heard the sound of someone dragging their tongue across their hand, he ran over to the source of the sound, and immediately after walking past a thick oak tree did he come across the crimson feline he so desperately hoped he'd find. Although he was still feeling a little nervous from the near breakdown he had nearly just had he knew that now was too crucial a time to worry about that.

"Mew...?" Ranko stopped halfway through licking her palm and dropped her paw, catching sight of Ryoga as he approached her with calm and collected steps.

"Here Ranko..." Ryoga cooed awkwardly as he blushed and swallowed, "come here girl..." he suggested as patted his thighs to usher her over.

Upon seeing Ryoga close his eyes with his hands held out the cat-dominated mindset jumped off her branch and onto the unsuspecting boy's chest, "Meow!" she exclaimed happily as she closed her eyes and tilted her head to the side slightly.

"R-Ranko! What're-" Ryoga said trying to sit up, that was until he felt Ranko's palm against his shoulder, forcing him back down. "Huh!?" Ryoga closed his eyes instinctively when he felt the back of his head bash into the ground a little.

Quite a few yards away the proud Amazonian's eyes darted around until catching sight of her two pupils, Ranko on a tree while Ryoga calmly called out to her. She herself approached with caution, watching and waiting. "Come on Ryoga..." she whispered and then saw Ranko pounce on her prey.

"Ryoga!" she shouted as she feared the worst, trying to stop Ranko from possibly swiping Ryoga's face clear off.

"Prrr..." Ranko purred gently as she had shut her eyes tightly, her lips pressed firmly against Ryoga's.

"Mmph!" he muttered underneath his first kiss but couldn't help but take notice of the fact that he felt as though he were some weightless feather adrift in an endless paradise, 'I can't believe how good this feels, she's so soft and gentle, my heart feels like...' Ryoga thought, his thoughts losing structure as his nose sprung like a geyser.

"S-She kissed him...?"

Lotion stopped to register what had just happened as then seeing Ryoga's form go limp, she watched Ranko quietly retract her muzzle away from Ryoga's and moved across his chest, finding a comfortable position before curling into a ball and sleeping on the Lost Boy's chest.

The old woman sighed inwardly and allowed her head to fall, she reached into her sleeve and retrieved a bandage, and she calmly began to wrap her wound. She eyed Nekoken Ranko before cautiously approaching them. Each step she took she would grow bolder and bolder until finally reaching the two. "Ryoga..." she whispered, poking him with the bottom part of her cane.

Ryoga's body shook but he gave no response, all she could see was a goofy but peaceful smile on the Lost Boy's face, to this, she rolled her eyes but honestly couldn't help but find herself glad that this had brought the two closer together, 'There's something oddly interesting about these two...' she thought before plopping herself down on the ground, closing her eyes.

"Look at all the trouble you've gone and done, Shou..." the elder woman spoke as the cat that had latched onto Ranma's face seemed oblivious to what it had done as it walked up to Lotion from behind before nuzzling her side, getting Lotion to scratch it behind its ears.

Slowly the raven-haired teen regained consciousness, the only notable sensation he could identify was that something like a piece of wood was poking his left shoulder. "Ugh..." he groaned in annoyance as he opened his eyes, much like a slowly recovering comatose patient.

"Boy you fainted but I need you to help me carry Ranko inside..."

"How am I...?" Ryoga shifted his head in his dazed state before finally opening his eyes enough to see a blurry red blob, right before his eyes finally adjusted and allowed him to see Ranko curled up on his chest.

"Do not wake her!" Lotion warned in a low tone but just enough so Ryoga could make out what she was saying.

"B-Bu-" Ryoga got so far before seeing Lotion hold her cane out to his face as if warning the Lost Boy not to make any sudden movements, their eyes focusing on the stirring feline groan that caught their attention.

She squinted her a little and nuzzled her cheek against her bed, said bed blushed but remained still as she began to drift back to sleep.

"I can assure that once she awakes she'll be back to her old self..." Lotion said, retracting her cane before raising a finger she shushed the yellow-clad teen like a librarian.

Ryoga desperately wanted his friend back to her old self but knew that he was about as much an expert on mental conditions as a lumberjack so he followed the old woman's command and looked down at Ranko's sleeping form and raised his hands up and reached behind Ranko as though she were actually a cat.

He felt her move and immediately froze in place, seeing that it was only to stir a little, she soon relaxed, yet again. He closed his eyes and sat up with Ranko in his arms, at first she had remained in her sleeping position until Ryoga shifted his own on the ground, causing her to shift around lazily until looking as though she were some oversized housecat sleeping in her owner's arms.

'Is it weird that I think she's adorable...?' Ryoga thought as he looked to Lotion and nodded his head to her.

She returned the gesture and began to lead them back to their camp, jumping on her cane and casually walking them back. The trip back had been a tense one but Ryoga had done his best not to wake her. The second they reached the front door Lotion had opened it and stepped aside for Ryoga to go through, he did so without comment and walked back to his and Ranko's rooms, 'I know it wasn't Ranko that actually kissed me but does that mean I shouldn't have enjoyed that so much...? H-How couldn't I...?' he thought to himself before standing at the side of Ranko's bed.

"Gently..." Lotion watched as he put Ranko on her bed. "Well done..."

"I know what you said about her returning to normal but when you said taboo training method..." Ryoga paused as he almost wanted to stop his own conversation but knew that he cared far too much not to push onward.

"I'll explain in the other room how it works but there is one thing I'd like to say..." Lotion turned her attention to Ranko's form.

"What's that...?" Ryoga asked while also watching Ranko sleep.

"Whoever taught her the Nekoken is either a cruel bastard or a ginormous idiot..."

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Darkness covered the land over Lotion's territory, creatures of the night sung their sweet melodies in peace as the ones inside the wooden shack slumbered peacefully inside. From inside Ranko and Ryoga's room, the two slept on separate one-person beds. Ryoga slept with his arms and legs sprawled out to his sides, looking as though someone had tossed him onto his back.

Ranko rested on her sides as though she had been a cat sleeping on her side, she squinted her eyes a little as she reached one of her hands over to her head and rubbed it. "Ugh..." she groaned as she opened her eyes, 'Where am I...? Am I still in that village?' she thought as looked around until she heard a faint soaring coming from her left.

"Pops?" she questioned suddenly, then looked at whatever was making that noise. What she found wasn't her father but rather a teenage boy wearing a bandana while he slept.

"Huh...?" she paused to examine his face, 'Who's that guy...? Kinda' looks familiar...' she thought as she continued to watch him sleep, for some reason she was oddly focused on figuring out who this was.

"Who're you...?" she muttered as she felt her breath cut short, her hand reaching over to her chest as she discovered she was feeling flushed, 'That headband... where have I seen that before?' Ranko pondered further before she stared at his lips for a moment as she found herself leaning a little before retracting her head and then shaking it, 'What am I doin' wasting t-time here for!? I need to find that old fart!' she thought in a panic before looking around again and finding her shoes.

Without even looking around to make sure the coast was clear the redhead walked with her shoes in hand and once reaching the front she quickly slipped on her flats and opened the front door.

Lotion looked over her shoulder as her rocking chair had been positioned to face the same direction as the front of her house, "I see you've finally come to..." she commented as she looked back out in front of her. "How are you feeling?" she asked but then noticed Ranko's form walking past her and towards the forest.

"I'm leaving so don't get in my way..."

"You forget yourself, child, we have an agreement..." Lotion suddenly appeared in front of the redhead as if winking into existence.

Ranko leaned back a little seeing as this old woman was in her way, she immediately started thinking back to the face of the boy in yellow she saw and shook her head as she felt that unfamiliar and uncomfortable feeling inside her chest. "I said I'm leaving! And if you wanna get in my way then..." Ranko shifted her stance and prepared herself for combat.

"Then bring it!" Ranko exclaimed as she saw the aged Amazon move through the air like some sort of phantom, stopping only when she was in front of her. She attempted to trade fists with the old woman but all her attacks were easily batted away and then she was struck in the face with her cane, being thrown as if she had been shot out of a canon and headfirst in the tree behind her by a few yards.

"Mayhaps I overdid it..." Lotion commented as she put her hands in her sleeves and slowly walked over to her student. "Are you still breathing child...?" she asked sounding a little uncertain.

"What the hell, you old crow!?" Ranko demanded as she rubbed her sore head.

"Feeling better?"

"It's night...?" she asked with a very groggy voice as she looked around and noticed that from the looks of it the sun would probably not be up in a while longer.

"The sun was still up last you were..." Lotion muttered to herself as she then noticed Ranko leaving.

"I'm going to bed," Ranko announced all of a sudden, yawning shortly after and putting her hands behind her head.

"W-wait don't you want to know what's happened while you were out!?"

"I'll ask Ryoga when I ain't dead tired..." Ranko muttered as she walked back inside, 'Feels like I got hit by a bus...' she thought as her muscles were sore all over as if she had been contorting her body in really strange ways.

Lotion could only stand and watch as Ranko's exhaustion had pretty much excused her from a necessary conversation, "Strange..." Lotion muttered as she looked to the ground, thinking back to Ranko's actions and words, 'Now that I think about it, it was as if she didn't know who I was...' she thought before she drew to the conclusion.

"Does she truly wish to remember who she was? Perhaps it would be cruel of me to do so..." she closed her eyes and pondered the question.

"I suppose she'll know what to do when the time comes..."

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