Ranma 1/2
The Cover-Up
by Trakal
based characters and situations created by Rumiko Takahashi
(note: I put them all together since I accidentally labelled parts 4 & 5, parts 5 & 6)
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Ranma ran from the Tendo Dojo, waving back to Kasumi over his shoulder. "I'm just going off to practice for a while!" he called to her. "I'll be home in time for supper!"
"Okay, Ranma." Kasumi called back. "Be careful."
Genma and Soun watched him go as they tended to their chores in yard.
"Don't pick up any more fiancees, Ranma!" Genma called to his son.
"I thought that was your job, Pop!" Ranma called back.
Genma suddenly called out to Ranma, in alarm. "Ranma! Don't go that way!" but it was too late. He turned to Soun. "Think he'll find out, Tendo?"
"Eventually, Saotome." Soun nodded.
"What do we tell him?"
Soun thought about this. "We? He's your son."
"She's your killer... daughter I mean." Genma replied.
*****
Ranma made it to the field. He grinned, viciously, to himself. Here he could practice with no one in the way and have enough peace for meditation afterward.
He had been in this field many times, and knew every hill, rise and rock. So he was quite surprised when he tripped over a new rise in the ground. Getting to his feet, he turned and stared at the new obstacle.
It was a grave. Unmarked, unadorned.
Ranma wondered who's grave it was, and why it was there, in that field, not at the cemetary.
****
"I found a grave." He said, that evening, over a bowl of ramen.
"A grave," Soun laughed, nervously. "You don't say! You hear that, Saotome?"
"Growrf." Said Genma, who'd conveniently just turned into a panda.
"Okay, spit it out. What do you know about that grave." Ranm poured hot water onto his father, turning Genma back into his human form.
"Well, Ranma..." Genma hedged.
"Who's buried in that grave, old man?" Ranma demanded.
Genma could't keep it a secret any longer.
"Ryoga Hibiki." he said, quietly.
"Ryoga...?" Ranma's voice sounded very weak, as if he'd just heard the worst news in the world. As far as he was concerned, he had. Then a question formed in his mind. "How do you know it's Ryoga?"
Well..."
"You buried him there." Ranma accused. "you buried him in some unmarked grave. WHY?!"
"Care for another game of Go, Tendo?" Genma asked.
"Sure thing, Saotome."
"Not until you both tell me why you buried Ryoga's body in an unmarked grave."
"Why do you care?" Akane snapped, "Its not like anyone's gonna miss that little pig."
Pig? Suddenly it all fit into place. Akane must have found out about P-Chan. She'd then lost her temper and as a result...
//She killed Ryoga.// The thought ran through Ranma's mind, driving him mad with rage.
"AKANE! YOU FUCKING MURDERER!" Ranma screamed, suddenly jumping up, rage overriding honor, obscuring the 'no fighting girls' rule Genma had ingrained into him, and kicked Akane right in the face, shattering her nose.
Ranma packed everything he could carry and fled from the Tendo Dojo.
Genma started to go after him, but Soun put a hand on his shoulder. "I've lost him!" he wailed. "I've lost my only son. It's your fault, Tendo!"
"You're just as much to blame as I am. We both knew how Ranma felt about Ryoga. We both knew but we both thought we could change him, make him something he isn't."
Genma glared at Soun, but could not make himself angry at the man who'd been his friend all these years, and who was now telling him something only a friend would dare say.
*****
Ranma arrived at the grave a short time later. He didn't want Ryoga buried there. Not that close to the Tendo home. He wanted Ryoga's body to be as far away from Akane as he could get it.
The body he found wasn't Ryoga's however.
It was P-Chan's.
"Didn't even give him his own form back." Ranma snarled. "Well, I'll fix that right now. He's a human being, you assholes. You had no right to bury him like a pig. Just another part of the cover-up. Tell everyone Ryoga's lost and Akane's little pet pig is the one in the unmarked grave."
He sat cross-legged on the grass, with the little cute, black, dead piglet in his lap, and gently poured some hot water onto the tiny body, closing his eyes and sobbing as he did so.
"WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO DO?! DROWN ME?!"
Ranma's eyes shot open as he looked at the bandanna-clad miracle lying naked in the grass, his head in Ranma's lap.
"Ryoga!" Ranma exclaimed. He was so overwhelmed with joy that he pulled Ryoga's face to his without even thinking twice and pressed his lips to Ryoga's
Ryoga trembled in Ranma's arms. like a delicate flower.
"Kami-sama has given you back to me, Ryoga." Ranma whispered. "I am so happy. I want to make love to you forever. But first, I have to take you to Jusenkyo."
"Why?" Ryoga asked.
"P-Chan's dead, Ryoga." Ranma replied. "Now, unless you want to turn into a corpse everytime is rains..."
"Fine," Ryoga replied. "But I want the Drowned Girl spring. At least you know where it is."
Ranma and Ryoga rested that evening, on the shore of the Sea of Japan.
"Ranma." Ryoga asked. "How will I get there? If I swim, I die."
"That's right." Ranma considered it. "I could ask Kuno for his boat, but I don't want any of them to know you're alive."
"We could make our own boat.Ryoga suggested.
Ranma decided this would be the best idea and the two of them started working on the boat.
All at once, Ryoga collapsed.
"Ryoga!" Ranma rushed over to him. Ryoga's heart had stopped beating. Ranma tried to remember how to perform CPR, but he couldn't think of it. Couldn't think of anything but... He felt Ryoga gasp for breath. "You okay?"
"I don't know." Ryoga asked, "What happened?"
"We'd better see Cologne." Ranma decided. "I've got a bad feeling."
Ryoga agreed.
*****
Cologne examined Ryoga carefully. Finally she looked up. "P-Chan's death is starting to bleed over into Ryoga." she explained.
"Then he was dead when his heart stopped before?"
"Yes." Cologne replied. "You must get him to the Spring of Drowned Girl as soon as possible and replace the curse. If you don't to this in 48 hours, Ryoga will die."
"Ranma," Cologne began, "agree to marry Sham..."
"No."
Ranma, Ryoga, and Cologne turned to Shampoo, who had just spoken.
"Shampoo no want to marry boy who not love her." Shampoo said, softly. "Shampoo love Mousse, Great Gramma. Mousse love Shampoo. Shampoo marry Mousse."
There was a thud and a crash as Mousse fainted through the door.
"Stupid Mousse," Shampoo said, though the words were tinged with affection.
"Great Grandmother," Shampoo told her, "Shampoo go back to China with Mousse now. We bring Ranma and Ranma boyfriend, too. Shampoo no want Ranma sad."
"Okay, Shampoo." Cologne gave in. It wasn't what she'd wanted, or what tribal law demanded. But in a way, it was much better."
Cologne made arrangements at the airport to have her strange bird-shaped transport towed to China. She had wanted to close up the Cat Cafe, but an idea came upon which tickled her fancy and she wrote a long letter, naming Kasumi Tendo the new owner and proprietor. She suggested that Kasumi and Ukyo go into a friendly competition, keeping their prices close and reasonable, and that they take turns offering specials. This, she explained in her letter, would keep both girls on their toes so that neither would become lazy or complacent.
Ranma asked her to add something else. That she'd found Ranma dying and that Ranma's last wish had been for his body and P-Chan's to be burned together so that their ashes would mingle.
Cologne did this, then sent the letter from the airport.
The space inside Cologne's vehicle was very cramped, but Ranma and Ryoga, curled up in each other's arms, barely notice and spent too much time kissing to do any complaining.
"Isn't that sweet, Shampoo." Mousse asked, watching the two lovers. "I think they look so perfect together. Don't you. I don't know why it took us all so long to see it. Ranma and Ryoga were meant for each other from the beginning. Look at them, Shampoo. I think its the most..."
"Stupid Mousse stop talking and kiss Shampoo!"
Mousse had no objections to this.
Arriving in China, They led Ranma and Ryoga to Jusenkyo.
After conversing with the Guide, Cologne pointed to the Spring of Drowned Girl. "Take a dip in there. She told Ryoga.
Ryoga dove in.
Ranma, Cologne, Mousse, and Shampoo waited for Ryoga to emerge. A moment later, she did.
Unlike Ranma, Ryoga's hair was longer when she emerged from the Spring. It cascaded down her back, reaching down to the backs of her knees. But the most amazing thing about it was the color.
Ryoga's hair and her eyes were the same color as her Shishi Hokodan.
From: "Trakal"
Ranma 1/2
The Cover-Up
(the real part 6)
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Ranma dropped to one knee as he looked at the new girl. He reached out, tentatively at first, as he he thought there might be more than just a passing similarity to Ryoga's ultimate attack, that she might be a living Shishi Hokodan. Then, when he wasn't suddenly blown apart by a simple touch, he grasped her hand and kissed the knuckles, wincing inwardly at how much the gesture reminded him of Kuno.
He chuckled inward on the day Kuno had come out of the closet. It had been amusing, the way he'd done it. He'd been leaning back in a chair at the Cat Cafe, muttering his usual "the pigtailed girl, or Akane Tendo" over and over in the usual way, and had suddenly blurted out:
"Fuck 'em! I want Mikado!"
Which had caused just about every other patron to fall over in their seats.
It had also caused Mikado to bolt from the cafe with Kuno in close amorous pursuit.
"What are you laughing at." Ryoga asked, her voice sweet but firm.
"Remember Kuno..."
"Oh his little announcement about Mikado. Yeah, I remember. Ranma, don't tell me your getting mud on your pants so you can have a remember-when chat."
Ranma shook his head. "No, Ryoga-chan." he told her, "I'm down here, so I can ask you to marry me."
"When?" Ryoga asked.
"Next week?" Ranma asked. "That will give us time to get organized."
"Hmmm." Ryoga smiled. "I'll make a deal with you. I'll be your bride next weekend, if you agree to be my bride the weekend after."
"Deal." Ranma nodded.
From: "Trakal"
Ranma 1/2
The Cover-Up
(the real part 7)
------------------
The following evening, Mousse and Shampoo stood at the Amazon Tribal Altar.
One of the tribal elders began the ceremony. Before she got very far, however, her eye was pierced by a projectile and she fell dead upon the floor.
"You can't have him!" a voice called out from the temple's entrance. "Mousse belongs to me!"
"Shampoo challenge you!"
"I refuse your challenge, Shampoo!" the hooded woman replied. "Mousse was legally mine the moment he impregnated me! He will return to Japan with me and be my husband."
"Mousse, this true?"
Mousse couldn't find an answer. He wanted to say no. But there had been all those nights he'd taken something meant for Ranma, meant to make Ranma fall in love with Shampoo, so he couldn't say it. Couldn't be sure.
"Shampoo call wedding off. You take stupid Mousse. But first, Shampoo want to know who Mousse dishonor tribe with."
"Look then." The hooded woman removed her hood.
Mousse screamed in horror as he beheld the face of Kodachi Kuno.
From: "Trakal"
Ranma 1/2
The Cover-Up
Part 8
----------------
Mousse sat very still during the trip home. He was in the middle seat of three on the plane with Kodachi on one side of him and her brother on the other side.
"Tate-"
"Speak not my name, thou most wretched cretin." Kuno cut him off. "Thou hath defiled the beautiful but wild Kodachi and hath left thy bastard to grow within her. I shall not permit you to dishonor my sister!"
"You're going to marry me, Mousse." Kodachi smiled.
*****
Shampoo sat at the altar of the now-empty temple, crying. With Ranma engaged to Ryoga and Mousse heading off to a shotgun wedding to Kodachi Kuno, she was alone.
She didn't hear the soft footsteps, didn't hear the gentle breathing.
All she felt was the sudden impact upon her skull.
*****
Mousse, now the husband of Kodachi Kuno, cried out in incredible pain/plesure as Kodachi struck him with her ribbons, cutting him over and over, until he was barely conscious, then mounting him, riding him hard and fast until she came. Then he, too, was coming.
After Kodachi was asleep, Mousse struggled until he freed himself, then went into the bathroom to wash up.
As he was looking for a bandage for one of the nastier cuts he'd got, he saw a bottle of pills. They were unmarked, but he'd seen pills like them in newspaper clippings and on TV newsprograms.
"Come back to bed, Mousse." Kodachi commanded.
Mousse wanted to kill her. But no... he couldn't. Not yet.After she'd had the baby, when he could take his child and run with it. To where didn't matter. He could wander the globe, just him and the baby. If Ryoga Hibiki could do it, Mousse decided, so could he.
"No." He said.
"I said come to bed now, Mousse."
"I will not go to bed with you, Kodachi." Mousse replied. "I don't want you to ever touch me again. I know what you did to me, Kodachi. It was meant for Ranma, the drug, wasn't it? But when I took it, you thought you'd teach me a lesson."
"What are you talking about, Mousse?" Kodachi yawned.
"You raped me." Mousse accused, coldly.
"I did not."
"Then why is there a bottle of rufies in your medicine cabinet."
"Those are mine." Kuno replied. "They were given to me as a twisted joke by a classmate who said they'd be the only way I'd ever get a date."
"If that's so, why keep them?"
"I take them now and again to help me sleep, okay?" Kuno snapped. He took the bottle, shook it against his hand, then put his hand to his mouth, took a glass of water, and went back to bed.
*****
Shampoo woke up, her head throbbing. "Oww.. Who hit Shampoo?!"
A gentle hand caressed her face, turning it until she found herself looking into the most loving and most unexpected face she had ever seen.
"Shampoo not..."
"Shhh..."
And as Kasumi's lips touched hers, Shampoo felt all resistance leave her. This wasn't a Kiss of Death or a Kiss of Triumph. It was something she'd yearned for all her life.
It was a Kiss of Love.
Shampoo's heart sang with joy as she returned the kiss.
"Why...?"
"I want us to be married, Shampoo." Kasumi told her. "When I got your letter and found out you were gone, I realized how much I'd miss you. I've been working in the Cafe you left me. But every day being there reminded me more and more of you."
"Shampoo will marry you." Shampoo agreed.
*****
From: "Trakal"
Ranma 1/2
The Cover-Up
(part 9)
---------------
Ranma waited, patiently, at the altar. He was extremely nervous.
"Aw man, please don't tell me she got lost." he begged. "I guess I'll wait until she arrives."
Two days later, she finally did.
Two days continual wear is enough to do a number on any bridal kimono, especially when its two days of constant wandering. But on Ryoga, somehow being worn out and frayed along the edges made the gown seem even more beautiful.
Ranma knew what it was that made it so. It was the idea that, though she'd been lost, Ryoga had done all she could to find him. She'd searched for days and dies until she had, at last, come to the place where they were to be wed.
Ranma looked at her, and all the love in the world was in his expression.
Well, half of it. The other half resided in the expression Ryoga returnd to him