o think Ranma and Ryoga had remained so immersed that they had become careless enough to allow 'this' of all situations; to happen. Immediately they detached from each other's faces, turning to the woman both probably considered to be their mother.
"M-Mom! W-wait!" Ranma stuttered as she tried to form some sort of plan behind her words, although the evidence against her was so staggering that she hadn't time to form an alibi of any sort.
"Mo-" Ryoga stopped himself, seeing that she noticeably flinched at him calling to her.
"I can explain!" Ranma touted as she took a step forward, getting in between Nodoka and Ryoga's line of view.
"How can you explain this dear?" Nodoka asked, her voice coming out a little hoarse. "Huh...?"
"I..." Ranma paused as she looked to the side and closed her eyes.
"Miss Saotome!" Ryoga exclaimed as he looked Nodoka as though he were ready to fight, tears threatening to fall from the corners of his eyes.
Nodoka's eyes landed on the lost boy as he stood before her, calling to her by something other than his mother. "Ryoga..." she sighed and she put her hands together and looked down.
Now it was Ryoga's turn to feel a familiar sting, even then, he wasn't sure he liked this feeling or if it was something he had to let go of.
"Even though you saw me kissing Ryoga..." Ranma began, taking advantage of the moment of silence to help them in some way. "It wasn't because I'm dating him or anything like that!"
"Huh? Honestly Ranma..." Nodoka sighed deeply as she shook her head and quivered her lower lip as she could just feel the wave of anger and confusion swarming not only through Ranma but herself as well.
"It's true!" Ryoga exclaimed, his voice reflecting his resolve. "I know it's hard to believe but I haven't made Ranma mine!"
"T-then what's?" Nodoka paused and looked between, before jumping back and forth so many times that her eyes began like Uzumaki swirls. "What's going on then?" she asked with one hand to the side of her head.
"It's complicated..." Ranma sighed and lowered her head, letting her arms fall to her sides as she mentally prepared herself.
"How can it be? You don't like boys, right?" Nodoka asked with worry in her eyes, her face nearly begging for her son to confirm.
"C-course I don't!" Ranma swallowed and then looked away, her pigtail moving so fast it swung behind her.
"Then what does that make Ryoga...?" Nodoka questioned as she tried to meet Ranma's eyes.
"What does that make me...?" he looked at her, his face also yearning for some level of confirmation.
Sensing the amount of pressure on her the redhead swallowed hard and right at that moment she became stiff, clearly uncertain about the subject of Ryoga and her possible romantic feelings towards him. "I dunno..." Ranma answered.
"How can you not know, dear?"
"I think I get it but I'm not so sure..." Ryoga commented sounding a little discouraged but knew this wasn't a moment where they really had much time to prepare themselves.
"I just don't! Okay!" Ranma exclaimed as she blushed and shook her head. "Maybe he's something different, something I can't explain..."
"I've seen enough to know that Ryoga's feelings for you are more than what you're willing to give him, do you know why?"
"I'd like an answer to that myself..." Ranma commented, thinking that her question wouldn't lead to anything.
"It's because deep down, you know that maybe you're not actually into boys but somehow Ryoga changes that outlook, doesn't he?"
"I just don't! I know I still think I like girls but there ain't any actual girls that I can get to know around here anyways..."
"Unless you count Shampoo..." Nodoka commented.
"Which I don't..." Ranma countered almost immediately.
"Why not?" Nodoka blinked.
"She ain't my type," Ranma answered plainly as she crossed her arms, her gaze moving over to Ryoga's direction.
"Oh..." Ryoga blushed as he smiled at her.
Their little exchange hadn't gone unnoticed, Nodoka's eyes centered in on the two as she saw Ranma offer no unpleasant response to putting Ryoga's troubles at ease. "I can't believe this is actually happening..." she added, trying to make sense out of all of this.
"We should get out of the rain..." Ryoga spoke with a hitch in his voice, intentionally avoiding what Nodoka had just said.
"Yeah we oughtta'..." Ranma began but lowered her head as she felt the rain cover both her and Ryoga. "If that's okay..."
"Fine..." Nodoka sighed as she walked forward and lead the two into her home. "We're not through discussing this, Ranma..."
"I get ya'..." Ranma replied as she stole a glance at Ryoga, seeing how tense he had become.
Ryoga fought his urge to defend Ranma but knew that acting out right now would probably only cause his precious redheaded companion even more trouble, 'This is my chance...' he thought as he clenched his fists.
----------------------------------------
From inside the house, the three sat in the living room, a small TV/VCR in the corner with a few VCR tapes stacked atop each other to it's right. Between the three was a very sturdy looking short-legged table, all three seated on some red cushions.
Ranma and Ryoga sat opposite to Nodoka, their legs crossed while they rested their closed palms on their knees. For a while, nobody spoke, even the one that had brought them in with such motivation found herself losing her strength to continue.
"Mom... I..." Ranma paused as she dodged her mother's gaze when Nodoka finally became responsive. "I'm not sure about a lot of things, ever since Ryoga's become human he's put me on the spot and well, kinda' made me see things, differently..." Ranma choked, trying to get past her own bashful experience towards her own actual feelings.
Nodoka watched Ranma's actions throughout her little confession, then to see her choke so hard, 'He's so much like his father...' she thought as she closed her eyes and took Ranma's words into consideration. "What did you show him, Ryoga?"
It took a moment for Ryoga to gather his thoughts as he shut his eyes for a second before opening them and meeting Nodoka's uncertainty with a firm but bold stare, "I showed Ranma my feelings about what it means to be..." Ryoga furrowed his brows as he seemed to be lost in his own thoughts.
This only confused both Nodoka and Ranma but Ranma already had an idea as to what he meant, so much so that she became a shade of red similar to her crimson locks. "To be...?" the two Saotome women asked at the same time.
"Human..." Ryoga finished as he looked down a little, his eyes centered on the table in front of them. "At first when Ranma and you told me about looking for a real girl, I got to thinking that since Ranma's girl side isn't real that maybe, I'm not real either..."
"What do you mean?" Nodoka prodded as she tilted her head.
"It's complicated..." Ranma answered as she rested her elbow on her knee and her cheek on her palm, 'Really starting to hate that word...' she thought before closing her eyes and sighing.
"It was all I could think about for awhile, even thinking about it now, it haunts me..." Ryoga griped the fabric of his dark green pants as if fighting off an unpleasant feeling churning within him.
"Oh my..." Nodoka took Ryoga's words into consideration on top of the fact that he was an animal before all this so this may not have even made sense to the Ryoga of back then. "I didn't know that this is what my words could do to you..."
"You're not the only one mom..." Ranma spoke suddenly
"I meant what I said though, your feelings are real... hopes and all..." Ranma looked to Ryoga's eyes with fear but also comfort as she contained her uneasy feelings.
Seeing her kindness and remembering what had happened in the dirt hole Ryoga was able to feel the truth in Ranma's words and her willingness to say that, despite her own mother being, well, not only did it rekindle his flame but it sent his heart soaring. "R-Ranma..."
Ryoga's stuttering finally pushed Ranma to look away with uncertainty, blinking with a shocked but blushing look on her face, which only made her cuter in his eyes.
Nodoka wanted to act out, she wanted to prohibit this budding relationship but knew that the more she'd resist the more she was forced to go back to her past thoughts. 'Is this right? Is this still' manly?' Nodoka thought desperately, feeling as though the walls around them were closing in on her. 'What should I do? I know that Ryoga's like a son to me but I've hurt him, but he's also still trying to lead my son down the... down the...' her eyes seemed glued to her lap as she sat still like a statue.
"If you've got nothing to say, I'd like to keep going..."
"Is that alright, Mom?" Ranma asked clearing her own throat as nothing her Mother was saying or doing was very encouraging.
Unable to bring herself to even look at Ranma she remained silent, acting as though she were a timid geisha who could not attune her aura to the room she had been forced to host.
"First off, I wanna' say I'm sorry for making you worry so much," Ryoga apologized as he continued to maintain his stern position. "You're also part of the reason I left in the first place..." he admitted as he tightened his lips and looked down, he bowed his head.
"I-I'm sorry for making you feel this way, dear..." Nodoka replied as she swallowed hard.
"Huh...?" Ryoga brought his head up suddenly, hearing to her refer to him in such a soft tone. His ears catching capturing her inner turmoil, his heartbeat felt like that of drum beating time and time again.
"I just don't know what to do anymore..." Nodoka began as she failed to even make basic human eye contact, her will to speak had not faded as she seemed to think things over; or perhaps it was simply fear?
"Mom..." Ranma began but really didn't know what to add.
"I just see my little Ryoga trying to take my son away..."
"Mom! It-it's not like that! Even if..." Ranma blushed as she didn't know exactly how to bring her thoughts to the surface.
"W-why do you think that? Couldn't it be just as good as if Ranma had..." Ryoga said as he quickly recognized the sensitive grounds he was treading on.
"R-Ryoga!" Ranma exclaimed momentarily losing enough balance to have to hold her arms out behind her to keep her from falling, cross-legged but needing her elbows to keep her from flat-out landing on her back.
"D-Dear! I-I mean Ryoga!" Nodoka shook her head, no doubt the implied idea a little too much for her too bare at that moment. "Ryoga! If ever you considered me your mother you'd come to your senses..." she looked to him with eyes that yearned to embrace him as she had once before.
"I get what you're asking but I can't! You're important to me too but this human heart..." Ryoga choked as he brought his hand to his chest, gripping the fabric of his yellow shirt.
"Ryoga, please... I-I know about your condition and how long you're f-for this world, even if I wanted to..."
"M-Mom!" Ranma sat up straight and couldn't find it in herself to say anymore, for she knew the truth was inescapable. "We already thought of that! And besides, I haven't even said yes yet!"
"R-Ranma? I know what you're doing with Ryoga!"
"It's like what we said outside!" Ryoga shouted as she caught Nodoka's attention, "I just want you to accept that I'm not going to stop trying to win Ranma over! As long as I know I have a chance!"
"Ryoga! T-this is pointless! Despite your best wishes and even though I'm sure you'd make some lovely lady a fine husband I don't think Ranma is the one for that, especially the way I've raised my Ranma!"
"S-so you're saying I shouldn't because Ranma was raised by you to like girls?" Ryoga inquired cautiously.
"You can't change how Ranma's been brought up!" Nodoka retorted backing up her point with her version of logic, she closed her eyes and shook her head before opening her eyes with a saddened look on her face.
"L-look... mom, about my..." Ranma began but found that she could not bring herself to finish.
"Ranma please just be honest with Ryoga and tell him that you can't return his feelings..." Nodoka pleaded, desperately looking for a favorable outcome.
"I wish this was easier but dammit... I don't know what to feel about all of this..." Ranma said, looking appeared to be having her own mental battle. "I think maybe I'm a little... different... but I really think Ryoga's my only exception!"
"W-wait..." Nodoka spoke with an astonished tone as she allowed this sometime to sink in, "So your only exception is Ryoga then..."
"Thank you..." Ryoga bowed his head once and maintained his focus, a light rosy red tinge to his cheeks.
"G-guess so..." Ranma half confirmed, possibly in some vain attempt at lessening the blow to her mother's delicate state of being.
"Miss Saotome, I'd like to finish with what I've learned about being human... I learned that being human is about the pursuit of happiness, everything we do is so we can find some ease, some comfort, something worth fighting for..." Ryoga spoke with an eerie calm but neither Ranma nor Nodoka appeared scared but rather more interested in his intensely they listened to his words.
"And only after losing it all, could I finally see what I had been hoping for..." he sighed deeply amongst the two Saotome women and gently opened his eyes. "If I was fake then what point was there to anything? What point was there to these feelings?"
"Damn... Ryoga, I'm sorry, I didn't think that you'd ever..." Ranma began trying to find some way to apologize, not realizing what her words had done to her closest friend.
"I never thought of it like that, I can only imagine the pain you must have gone through..." Nodoka sympathized as she wanted to reach out and bring him into a hug but knew that the situation was still much too tense to do so.
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Ranma immediately stiffened as she recalled the look in Ryoga's eyes as he wandered around aimlessly, lost and heartbroken.
"It's alright! Because Ranma also reminded me that just because I'm different! Just because I'm not entirely human! That doesn't mean I have to accept that fate! I'm the master of my own destiny and I'll do whatever the hell I can to find my own happiness!"
"H-How can you be so confident that Ranma is part of that happiness?" Nodoka asked with a nervous hitch in her voice.
"Y-You don't gotta' answer that!" Ranma quickly clarified as she appeared to panic a little.
"I want to! I know it's her because whenever Ranma's near, I feel like I can take on the whole world!" Ryoga looked down then clenched his fist out in front of him before finding his resolve.
Ranma and Nodoka all the while listened with baited breath as he spoke with such passion and flair.
"When we fight it feels like the whole world stops mattering! The rush I get when we push ourselves to new limits! The fact that no matter what! Wither either our words or our fists we can still find a way to come out of it better than when we started!"
Ranma at the mention of fighting and how it brought those feelings out in him, she focused her eyes on his and found that she could hear her own heartbeat thumping in her chest as she reached her hand out and cautiously put it over her left bosom but stopped herself before do so, hoping she hadn't drawn attention to herself.
Nodoka sensed Ryoga's words and could feel how much he truly meant what he said, his choice of words was what really caught her attention, 'He sounds so manly... and all just so he could date another boy, my Ranma...' she pondered, pausing when she noticed Ryoga struggle with his words, closing his eyes and swallowing hard.
"So please! I beg you!" Ryoga bowed and immediately dropped as though he were bowing humbly to a feudal lord.
"R-Ryoga you don't need to-" Nodoka began only to see him lift his head and open his eyes.
"Please don't stop me from dating Ranma!" the Lost Boy cried as eyes met Nodoka's with a fierce stare.
"W-whoa! Geez man..." Ranma rubbed the back of her as she averted her eyes and swallowed hard as she knew that this couldn't be a simple yes or no answer from Nodoka as much as Ryoga's words touched her, given how nervous she'd become when intentionally avoiding Ryoga's eyes.
To Nodoka his look was filled was such a fury that she felt as though she were staring into the eyes of a proud and strong beast, 'He's being a man for another man... although I'm pretty sure Ranma really likes him more as a girl?'she had become so engrossed in her own thoughts that she hadn't even given a reply to Ryoga's plea.
"Mom, t-there's something I else I need ta' say..." Ranma took a deep breath as she noticed the shocked and uneasy look on her mother's face. "Uh...? You o-okay there?" she asked somewhat cautiously.
Lost in her own world, the mother of the Saotome's fought frantically to keep her mind from imagining her only son as a mother to Ryoga as in her imagination one of the children had fallen into a hot spring, only to turn into an adorable piglet.
"Mrs. Saotome... please..." Ryoga spoke as he tried desperately to return her attention.
"I-I'm sorry! I was raised to think differently! This isn't the way, this-this isn't manly! It can't be!" Nodoka exclaimed as she was snapped back into her reality by Ranma's and Ryoga's words.
"M-mom..." Ranma choked as the implication of her words meant that Ranma was being very unmanly in his response to Ryoga's words.
"What about all the times you've called me manly!? All the things you said about what makes a man a man are still there! I'm stronger than ever before! I've been training all so I could impress Ranma! Because she sees strength just like I do! It's something to aspire to! Something to commit yourself too! And above all, it makes me just as happy as Ranma makes me! There's no one else in this whole world that sets my heart on fire like that!"
His words appeared to have reached her, all the instances of them fighting and even several incredible counters both were able to pull off. It was undeniable to her now and that caused her to be afraid, "That's all true, every word of it, you're still very manly Ryoga..." she said acknowledging the truth that came from Ryoga's mouth.
Ranma blushed a little since she knew that they had actually made some headway into convincing her mom to let her at least allow her to explore her mixed feelings for the Lost Boy. "I know this is a lot to take in and I don't blame ya for not knowing what to do since even I don't know what to do..." she said, giving her mother a soft but comforting smile, the kind that would let her know that everything would be okay.
Her son's words rang in her ears as she focused her attention on her, "I suppose... if Ranma can still manage to maintain his manliness, then I'll allow him to keep trying..."
"T-thank you!" Ryoga bowed yet again while maintaining his composure.
"I-I also ask that Ranma only kiss you again if she has actually accepted your feelings!" Nodoka exclaimed suddenly, catching Ranma and Ryoga both by surprise as that caused both their mouths to go agape.
"W-why?" Ryoga muttered.
"Wha?" Ranma blinked and then found herself blinking as she both she and Ryoga blushed before meeting each other's eyes at the center and then quickly looking away.
"B-because it's not right for Ranma to be leading you on! You should try earning it from your actions, Ryoga..." Nodoka closed her eyes and put her hands on her lap, maintaining the appearance of a stern mother.
Ranma blushed and swallowed hard as she looked over to Ryoga and saw that he hadn't looked all too pleased with this recent change but knew that if he was wise he'd keep things under control, 'I guess she's right, I'm sorry Ryoga... gotta' admit I let myself get c-carried away...' she thought losing composure for a second before blushing a calm determination.
"Alright fine..." Ryoga sighed in defeat, 'It's not a victory but it's better than nothing...'
"There's just one thing I have to know..." Nodoka calmly opened her eyes as she looked to Ryoga's eyes.
"What's that?" Ryoga paused and secretly hoped it wasn't the lead up to another condition.
"Hmm...?" Ranma hummed.
"Do you still see me as your...?" she paused as she grew silent.
"Oh..." Ryoga looked down as he clenched the fabric of his pant's leggings and then looked back to her. "I want to but I know that if I do, I can't be allowed to see Ranma anymore..."
"Oh... I suppose that's true..." Nodoka answered as she shut her eyes and sighed deeply.
"I wanna' say that even if I can't see you that way anymore... that doesn't mean I didn't love every moment I did see you as my mother..."
"Ryoga..." Ranma smiled softly as even she felt touched by his words.
"Ryoga... even if you say that I can't help but see my little Ryoga I first showed this big crazy world to..." Nodoka spoke as though she were about to cry but held back, smiling with tears at the corner of her eyes.
Ryoga and Ranma had to take a moment to let Nodoka absorb all this, lest they make the situation worse. "I should make us something to drink..." Nodoka stood up and left the living room.
"Ryoga, I think there's something you oughtta'..."
"I know..." Ryoga commented as he swallowed hard and stood up from his seated position, his redheaded friend joining him.
From inside the kitchen area with a small prep table nearby she filled a teapot with leaves from a plastic container before capping it and starting the fire with a matchstick she lit, watching as the flame beneath the kettle sparked to life, "Ryoga is a fine boy, even if he manages to get with Ranma, I'll at least know she's in good..." Nodoka muttered to herself but stopped to feel the heat rise to her face as she recognized what she had just referred to her own son as.
"I-I mean him! Him!" she exclaimed while blushing in embarrassment. "Oh, my..." she sighed as she placed her hand on her cheek, shaking her head a little, perhaps wondering if this was all some dream.
In the other room, Ryoga stood while Ranma came to a stand as Ryoga's arms hung to his sides, fists clenched and narrowed in thought. "Man, never thought I'd see this..." Ranma commented so softly it sounded as though she were whispering.
"I'm glad this all worked out but..." Ryoga started as he then looked at Ranma, biting his lower lip.
"But what?" Ranma asked as she crossed her arms over her chest and quirked a brow.
Before Ranma knew what Ryoga was 'exactly' getting at, she instead ended up finding out by his actions as he stepped forth and put his hand on her cheek, getting her to flinch before immediately calming down enough to avoid catching his mom's attention in the other room. "Is now really the time...?" she pouted as she put her hands on his chest as a means to keep him within arm's reach.
"I was hoping for at least... one more..." Ryoga's bashful face begged for Ranma to do him this one favor.
Ranma looked around nervously before focusing her hearing and making sure to be quiet enough she quickly threw her arms around Ryoga's neck and gave him what he wanted, showing him how much she used to this she had become she hadn't even tensed from the contact as Ryoga pulled her in once more, bathing in the feeling of her warm but soft lips.
A loud whistling noise came from the other room as the sounds of shuffling feet caused the two to detach themselves from one another, "Thanks..." Ryoga whispered as he pulled back, a noticeable amount of giddiness present in his voice.
"D-don't mention it..." Ranma clarified before turning her sparring partner and poking him in the chest. "Seriously, don't..."
"P-promise!" Ryoga replied, waving his hands out in front of him, letting her know that he wouldn't.
"Hey there, I'm just setting the tea..." Nodoka announced as she came back into sight while holding a tray with three circular teacups.
"Let me!" Ranma offered as she moved over to the unsuspecting mother as the redhead girl took the tray from her, making her way over to the table with an odd level of calmness.
"It's fine! You don't..." Nodoka said only to watch Ranma seemingly ignore her words and take the tray from her anyways.
"She does..." Ryoga said as rested his hand on her shoulder, catching her attention as she was abruptly brought into a hug with the boy clad in yellow.
"R-Ryoga...?" Nodoka stopped all movement as she felt her lost child embrace her... just as he had before.
"Even if I'm not part of this family anymore, you'll always be my mother..." Ryoga confessed as he held the woman who helped raise him.
"Ryoga..." Nodoka spoke his name as though it were something to be whispered, closing her eyes and hugging Ryoga Saotome for the last time. "If you're not part of this family... then who are you?" Nodoka asked, sniffling as she used her kimono sleeve to wipe the tear at the corner of her eye.
"Yeah... come to think of it..." Ranma paused as she gently sat the tea down on the table before coming to a standing position. "Who are you if not Ryoga Saotome?" the redhead asked quizzically.
Ryoga stopped to think and hadn't even taken the time to pick another last name but now that he was put on the spot he pondered the question for what felt like forever but in actuality, it was more like three minutes, three long, grueling minutes.
"If I'm not Ryoga Saotome anymore, then I'm..." he paused as he felt deep within himself and thought back to all his training experience and focused on the feelings and encouragement that Master Matsu had given him.
"I'm Ryoga..." he answered as he met Nodoka's eyes.
"Ryoga Hibiki..."
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Mousse
The long-haired Amazonian male straightened his glasses as he entered a shrine room, he found the pot Shampoo had mentioned and saw that it was indeed dusty and certainly in need of a cleaning.
It looked like it was a precious artifact being put out on display in a museum, minus the insane security but this was enough to let Mousse know that what he was seeing was no ordinary pot.
"It can't be..." Mousse mumbled as he stepped forth like someone who had just been told an infallible truth.
Before Mousse was a somewhat odd looking pot, with strange shapes and patterns but despite them being that way, the Chinese patterns where obvious to the hidden weapons master, 'How did they even get this? Or have we always had it?' Mousse thought to himself and suddenly felt his heart thumping in his chest.
"The old bag said she'd let that Lord Herb guy borrow this so maybe if I..." he paused as he slapped his hand over his mouth and produced from his sleeves a spray bottle and a cleaning rag as he began to polish it.
'I need to find that jerk Ranma...' Mousse thought as he cautiously sprayed the pot before wipping it.
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Genma
Standing at what appeared to be the far outskirts of the village, the middle-aged martial artist stood inside a telephone booth with a calling card in hand as he held the phone against his ear.
"Hello?" Genma asked as he heard the sound of someone picking up.
"Hello? Who is this?" a soft and gentle voice asked on the other line.
"Hey there! My names Genma and I'm an old friend of your dad's, maybe he's mentioned me? Genma Saotome?"
"I don't believe he ever has..." the gentle voice blinked as she hummed to herself. "I'll go get him!"
"T-Thank you..." Genma's eye twitched as if someone had just reminded him that he was bald.
"Genma? Is that you, old friend?" Soun's voice spoke from the other end.
"The one and only!" Genma replied with a hearty laugh as he reeled his head back with his fist on his hip.
"So glad you managed to remember our address! I was beginning to worry you'd never uphold our deal!"
"Well, yeah... ever since the misses tracked us down we've had one uphill battle after the other..." Genma sighed as he pitched the bridge of his nose. "It's not so bad, especially considering the looker my Nodoka is..."
"Then what's the problem old friend?" Soun's voice echoed on the line.
"Things got harder, especially after we adopted..." Genma muttered.
"I honestly never figured you to be the type..." Soun replied as from his perspective he was standing with his arms crossed
"The problem is being able to afford a home thanks to all this, turns out Nodoka wasted a lot of funds too, pretty much to the point of not even having a home and now the boy has a condition that'd probably keep him from just crossing the ocean..."
"He's still capable, right?" Soun asked as he sounded hesitant over the line.
"Very! I just haven't had as much time training em' as I'd like..."
"Financial issues?"
"What was your first guess? Anyways, I knew having a mother's love would make the boy weak..." Genma muttered as he gritted his teeth but not in anyway Soun could hear over the line.
"Anyways, I've been saving money but business isn't really good over here in China... lucky to have some people that actually bothered to learn Japanese..." Genma sighed in defeat as he slumped forward a little, holding the phone up to his ear with his shoulder.
"Any idea when we can expect you then, Genma?"
"Daddy? Who's that on the other line?"
"He said he was an old friend of Father's..."
"Any idea why he's calling?"
"I'm afraid not, Akane..."
"Those your girls, Tendo?" Genma asked after a brief pause.
"They are Indeed..." Soun confirmed sounding very proud.
"Good to know, I wonder which Ranma will pick..." Genma chuckled.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves..."
"Oh! Right!" Genma cleared his throat and put his hand to his chin, pondering the question that had been asked of him.
"I'm guessing somewhere between 1-2 months?" Soun's voice sounded as though he were looking for some confirmation.
"If not, maybe less..." Genma answered confidently as the what little light was around him bounced off his glasses, concealing his eyes.
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The three inside the Saotome hut remained silent as Ryoga had finished proclaiming himself not to be Ryoga Saotome but rather as his own person.
"Ryoga Hibiki..." Nodoka muttered the Lost Boy's name, 'Such a strong sounding name...' she thought as she pulled back.
"I gotta' say Ryo..." Ranma paused to smirk confidently at the Lost Boy. "Not bad." she complimented, crossing her arms together as she watched her friend step away from her mother.
"Thank you, I picked it up from one of my masters..."
"Wait... y-you've found a new master?"
"Not only that he found me a 'new' master! Or should I really be sayin'... masters?" Ranma said, boasting a bit about how Ryoga's relationship with her could reap certain 'Manly' benefits.
"R-Really now?" Nodoka blinked as she took this in and then turned to her tray Ranma had put down. "I'd love to hear about it..."
"Plus it'd be a waste of tea..." Ranma added as she put relaxed her arms and allowed them to fall to her sides.
"I could tell you but it'd be a long story..." Ryoga warned as he made his way over to his side of the table.
"We've got time, besides, it's been far too long since you've been here..."
"You can say that again..." Ranma mumbled with a smile and a roll of her eyes.
"A-alright then..." Ryoga cleared his throat. "It all began when I first started realizing I had feelings for... R-Ranma..."
"Oh..." Ranma swallowed hard but allowed herself to sit down to listen.
"Oh... go on..." Nodoka choked a little but focused enough not to deter Ryoga from explaining.
The Lost Boy explained how his moment with Ranma went and how he had lost hope enough to disappear in the woods, leading to him meeting Master Matsu and how after that he couldn't bear to stay around them anymore after that. How they had been teaching him the Breaking Point technique and how he had been struggling with it when he had managed to wander far enough for Ranma to finally find him.
"I tried to get away from him but you know how Ranma can be when he wants something..." Ryoga said as he looked at Nodoka.
"I remember from here on out, after that, I tried to bring Ryoga back kicking and screaming if I had to..." Ranma explained as she found herself becoming a little more serious as she realized they were approaching a very secretive moment between her and her yellow-clad friend.
"So you two fought?"
"Exactly, I knew I had to get away, I didn't want to but knew Ranma wouldn't give me any other choice..."
"Ranma... I don't know if what you planned on doing was the right thing but..."
"But...?" Ranma prodded curiously.
"It sounds exactly like you..." Nodoka smiled as Ranma pouted a little from her response.
"H-Hey! He wouldn't hear me out! Especially after all the things we've been through!? I had somethinging to say!" Ranma explained her side of the story before looking over to Ryoga who chuckled nervously.
"You have a point, I did leave without even saying goodbye..." Ryoga replied, fighting with all the mental fortitude he could, trying to hide the dimly lit blush on his face as his mind raced for a way for him to explain what had happened in the dirt hole.
"Who won?" Nodoka asked as she looked at Ranma and then finally Ryoga.
"Neither really..." Ryoga replied as he looked to the side. "I knew I needed to be stronger..."
"Yeah... it was a draw..." Ranma bashful admitted.
"Hm... you managed to get a stalemate with Ranma, d-" she paused to correct herself. "Ryoga!" she blushed.
"Y-yeah but that's nothing to celebrate..." Ryoga responded, sounding a bit discouraged.
"That's something to be proud of..." she pursed her lips and closed her eyes, remembering how down Ryoga would feel whenever he'd lose to the black haired Saotome boy, 'To think this is how strong you've gotten...' she thought.
"R-Really?" Ryoga blinked.
"Mm-hmm!" she responded. "If you don't mind me asking? What happened after?"
"Well, uh..." Ranma paused as she pondered the idea and panicked a little, knowing they'd eventually reach this point.
"About that..." Ryoga cleared his throat loudly as he looked off to the side and thought it over. "After that, we had a heart to heart!"
"O-oh?" Nodoka paused as she sounded frightened by what this could imply.
"Basically I-I explained to Ranma how I couldn't come back but that I'd still be trying to get stronger..." Ryoga blushed as he knew that he was lying but they had already to an extent been exposed.
"Y-yeah! Then we struck a deal..." Ranma stopped there, not having fully put everything together but knowing now that it had been thrown out that Ryoga had to work with this.
"I-if Ranma promised me a date then I would ask my Masters to train Ranma..." Ryoga explained feeling that this would be the best way to explain their situation while not making Nodoka break down from overload.
"The guy is persistent..." Ranma clarified but blushed as she looked as though she were about to cough into her closed palm.
"All before you even know if you're going to be with him?"
"I figured it was a nice trade-off..." Ranma commented.
"Well then... I certainly hope you're prepared to train harder now that Ranma is joining you in your training..." Nodoka spoke calmly as she drank from her teacup.
"Thank you... Mo-" Ryoga realized what he had almost said and put his hand over his mouth.
Ranma looked over to him as well, after everything that had just happened he just had to make that sorta' slip. "Ryo..." Ranma whispered.
"Miss Nodoka!" Ryoga corrected before putting his own cup down and preparing to bow.
"It's alright..." Nodoka held a hand up to let him know everything was alright.
Seeing that he had begun to relax she froze for a second before speaking calmly, whispering the following with her delicate and soft tone.
"Ryoga Hibiki..."
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