[Ranma][Fanfic] The Least One Can Do - Part 7

[OneShot]

Jeffrey "OneShot" Wong

Ranma 1/2: The least one can do 7

Editor's notes:You must read the first six parts in order to get what's
going on. Otherwise, you'll just end up confused.

(Opening scene: It is late at night. We are across the street, looking
towards the Tendo's home. From the right, we see Ranma, still in female form,
enter the scene. He's still dressed in Shori's clothes and is totally
unaware of it. He walks up to the front gate, and is about to enter until
he hears something moving from nearby. He drops back into a defensive
stance.)

Ranma-chan:Who's there?

(A shadowy figure emerges from the bushes. Ranma relaxs when he realizes who
it is. We realize it's Ryoga.)

Ryoga:Ranma! I've waited all day for you to get back! Now you will pay for
what you've done earlier!(Notices Ranma wearing female clothing)Ranma.

Ranma-chan:Huh?

Ryoga:Why're you wearing woman's clothing?

Ranma-chan:(Realizes that he's still wearing Shori's clothes)Oh my god!

(Ryoga, as he watches Ranma try and come up with a plausible excuse, begins
to laugh. Soon, he starts wailing, tears forming around his eyes. The sight
of Ranma in women's clothing was overwhelmingly funny.)

Ranma-chan:Okay, Ryoga. I think that's enough.

Ryoga:(Forgetting he was supposed to fight Ranma for what he did to him
earlier)Why're you dressed like that?

Ranma-chan:(Defensively)None of your business.

Ryoga:(Smiles wryly)Heh, I guess you wouldn't want Akane to find out now,
would ya?

Ranma-chan:You wouldn't!

Ryoga:(Calls out michieviously)Akane.

Ranma-chan:(Already having enough)Ryoga, if you tell Akane about this, I'll
tell her that you've been sleeping with her as P-chan.

Ryoga:You wouldn't!

Ranma-chan:(Smiles evily)Try me.

Ryoga:Fine, if you tell her about my secret, I'll try her you've been seeing
another girl behind her back.

Ranma-chan:Nani?

Ryoga:You heard me. I saw you with another girl today.

Ranma-chan:(Starting to sweat)How much did you see?

Ryoga:I saw enough.

Ranma-chan:(Remembering what Akane did to him earlier)Go ahead and tell her.
I don't really care anymore.

Ryoga:Nani?

Ranma-chan:(Getting angry)You heard me. I said go ahead and tell her.

Ryoga:Do you have any idea what you're saying?

Ranma-chan:Look, let me level with you. I don't think I want this fiancee
thing anymore. I don't think I want her as a fiancee. All she ever does is
hit me, and I'm seriously geting sick and tired of it.

Ryoga:Nani?! You're goin' to just dump Akane like that! I won't let that
happen! I won't let you do that to her!

Ranma-chan:Ryoga, listen to yourself. Do you have any idea what you're
saying?

Ryoga:Huh?

Ranma-chan:Ryoga, I'm telling you I don't want Akane anymore. You could have
her.

Ryoga:How?! Why are you doing this?!

Ranma-chan:(Sigh)I think I'm falling in love with someone else.

Ryoga:...............

Ranma-chan:Look, like I said, I don't think I want this fiancee thing
anymore.

Ryoga:But what about Shampoo, Ukyo, and(Gulps)Kodachi?

Ranma-chan:What about them?

Ryoga:I don't think they'll take this lightly.

Ranma-chan:................

Ryoga:Well?

Ranma-chan:Look, I'm not worried about that right now. Right now, I'm more
concerned with gettin' into the house without bein' seen. If my dad saw me
in this, he'll never let me live this down. Will you help me?

Ryoga:................

(The camera pans back as we see Ryoga reluctantly nod. Just before panning
away we see both Ranma and Ryoga descreetly enter the house. We get a clear
view of the stars as the camera pans across the night sky, stopping once it
was on a particular familar looking house. We realize it's Shori's house.
The camera zooms in on the front gate just as Shori enters the scene. Shori
leans against the outerwall that surrounds the extravagant house.)

Shori:(Sighs)I wish Ranko and I could hang out more often.

(As Shori leans against the wall, pondering about how nice an evening she
had, she realizes that she never gave Ranko her clothes back.)

Shori:(Thinking to herself)Oh no, I forgot to give her back her clothes. Oh
well, I can't give 'em back now. It's too late. I guess I'll have to wait
till tomorrow.

(Shori heads into her home. Inside, we see one of the maids walk up to her.
It's the same maid that Shori gave Ranma's clothes to eariler in the day)

HouseMaid:(Handing her a wallet)Miss Shori, when I didn't have the chance
to give this to you. When I knocked on the door to your room, you had
already left.

Shori:(Surveying the wallet)Whose wallet is this?

HouseMaid:I found it in the clothes that you handed to me. I think it
belongs to your friend.

Shori:I better return it early tomorrow morning, before I goto school. I
don't want Ranko worrying about where her wallet is when I have it all
alone. Hm....strange though....Ranko is the only girl I know who carries
a wallet.

(Shori checks through the wallet for an address. After a couple of moments,
she finds an address. She carefully puts the wallet in one of her pockets
as she heads up the giant marble staircase towards her room. We never
realize this, but if she had looked through that wallet for a couple moments
longer, she would have came across a picture of her love interest, Ranma
with his fiancee, Akane. The camera zooms back, showing us a clear view of
Shori's home. We see the light in Shori's room go on. The camera stays on
that window for a few moments. After a short time, we see the light go off.
We realize Shori went to sleep. The camera pans back onto the Tendo's home,
zooming in on a window with the lights on. We realize it's one of the
livingroom windows. The camera zooms through the open window to show the
interior of the room. Inside, we see Ranma, in male form and in his own
clothes, and Ryoga sitting on the backporch, their backs to the camera.)

Ryoga:So what're you goin' to do, Ranma?

Ranma:I'm not too sure. I think I should let her know, but I don't know how
she'll react.

Ryoga:I betcha it isn't good. That's for sure. Personally, I think you're in
a no-win situation. If you don't tell her, she'll find out sooner or later.
And if you do, she'll probably hate you for it.

Ranma:I guess you're right. I think the best thing I could do is hope for
the best. I guess it'll be my fault for not having told her sooner.(Sighs)
This is driving me nuts. I'm at a complete standstill here.

Ryoga:I think it's best you tell her and get it over with.

Ranma:I guess you're right. I think I should tell her tomorrow.

Ryoga:Now that you've got that solved, what are you goin' to do about
Akane?

Ranma:...................

Ryoga:(Yawns)Look, I'm gettin' tired. I think I'm gonna get some sleep now.

(We see Ryoga get up and walk out over towards the fishpond in the cakyard.
We see him jump in, and then surface in his piglet form. Ranma gives P-chan
an icy stare, but the intensity is now gone. He's no longer bothered by the
fact that P-chan is sleeping with Akane anymore. Besides, his thoughts were
now on Shori....not Akane. As P-chan walked by, he stops to look up at
Ranma. It seems P-chan was expecting to get attacked by a once jealous
Ranma. Now that he doesn't attack, P-chan seems to feel a sense of
nostalgia. Shaking his head, P-chan proceeded towards the stairs. Tonight
doesn't seem to be much of a victory for P-chan considering he didn't have
to battle Ranma to be with Akane. The fact that Ranma doesn't get jealous
seems to bother the piglet considerably. Sighing, P-chan hops up the stairs
to Akane's room.)

(Ranma lies down on the porch, his arms outstretched from his body, his legs
falling off the balcony, his feet planted on the ground. Thoughts of what to
do are racing through his head. Plagued with questions, Ranma closes his
eyes. As he lies there for several moments, he slowly starts drifting off
closer and closer to sleep. After a few minutes, he falls alseep, completely
unaware that he was still on the porch.)

(It's now Wedesday morning. The scene opens with Ranma sleeping soundly on
the porch he was on last night. We see a close-up of Ranma's face, which
seems to be content. It seems he's having a pleasant dream of something...or
maybe someone. Akane enters the scene as the camera pans back.)

Akane:(Kicking Ranma gently in the ribs)Ranma, wake up.

(Ranma continues on sleeping)

Akane:(A bit louder)Ranma, wake up!

(Ranma still conitnues on sleeping)

(We see Akane stomp away, heading into the kitchen. After a few moments, we
see her emerge with a large bucket of ice, cold water. She stands before the
sleeping Ranma for a few moments, and then splashes him. Ranma, now in
female form, wakes up in a mad panic.)

Ranma-chan:Arghhhhh!(Notices Akane holding a bucket)Why'd ya do that for?!?

Akane:Baka, how else was I supposed to wake you up?!

Ranma-chan:I'm sick and tired of this! If it isn't pops tryin' to get me wet,
it's you! Why don'tcha jus' leave me alone!(Stomps off towards the backyard)

Akane:..............

(As Akane dumbfoundedly watches Ranma walk away, P-chan shows up out of
nowhere. He happily hops up towards Akane's arms so she could catch him. But
she never caught him, she too distracted by what Ranma had just said. P-chan
lands on his snout with a loud thump before Akane realizes what she's done.)

Akane:P-chan, I'm so sorry.(Picks P-chan up and cradles him)I didn't mean to
let you hurt yourself like that.(Thinking)Did Ranma really mean by what he
said? Does he really mean it? Does he not what me near him?

(P-chan whimpers as he looks up at Akane. He realizes that she wasn't paying
attention to him because her attention was on Ranma. Not wanting to be a
substitute to Ranma's affections, P-chan wriggles free from Akane's grasp.
He runs away as soon as his feet touches the floor.)

Akane:P-chan, where're you going?

(Akane gives chase as the little piglet runs out of the house. But once she
stepped outside, P-chan was gone. She looks to and fro for her pet but
finds no trace of him. Figuring he's hiding in the bushes, she checks the
nearby foliage.)

Akane:P-chan, I didn't mean to do that. I'm sorry.

(But P-chan was nowhere to be found. After a short time, Akane abandons her
fruitless effort to find him and heads back into the house, her head hung
low. It was only morning, and she was already having a terrible day. How
did everything go to ruin? She remembers Ranma getting mad at her for
splashing water on him, but never this mad, not even close. All he would do
is yell at her, which she could take because she was used to it. But now
that Ranma is ostentatiousy trying to avoid her, she doesn't know how to
deal with that. Once Akane disappears into the house, the camera pans
backwards to give a clear view of the entire house. We realize that P-chan
is ontop of the roof. The piglet seems to be in a depressed state of mind.
After a few monets, P-chan hops through the nearby open bathroom window.
After a few moments, we see Ryoga emerge, gracefully landing on the ground
below, his backpack slung across one of his shoulders.)

Ryoga:(Thinking to himself)Akane, I'll be goin' on a training mission now.
To clear my mind and build up enough confidence to ask you out. When I do,
you won't have to worry about that Ranma anymore for I will have your heart.
Goodbye.

(Ryoga walks to the front gate and gracefully hops over it. Little did he
know that someone was on the other side. He ends up landing right in front
of her, so close that their faces are only inches apart. Ryoga immediately
realizes that it's the same girl that Ranma was with yesterday. She was
absolutely beautiful....not as beautiful as Ryoga trys to think to himself,
much to no avail. Standing so close to her, he could smell this intoxicating
fragrance to her, which made his knees feel weak. He quickly takes a step
back.)

Shori:(Bows)Ohiyo gozaimasu. I'm Shori.

Ryoga:(Bows, but in an akward motion)O-oh-ohiyo g-gozaimasu. I'm....Ryoga.

Shori:Is this where Ranko Saotome lives, Ryoga?

Ryoga:Um...yeah.(Thinking to himself)Oh yeah, she doesn't know that Ranma
and Ranko are the same person.

Shori:(Produces a wallet from the schoolbag she was carrying)Ranko left her
wallet at my place last night. I just wanted to return it to her.(Produces
the clothes Ranma was wearing yesterday)Also, I want to return her clothes.

(Ryoga blushes beet-red as he wonders why Shori has Ranma's clothes in the
first place. To hide his embarressment, Ryoga turns his back to her.

Ryoga:(Thinking)Could he have gone all the way with this girl? Why does she
have his clothes? That cad! How can he do this to Akane?

Shori:(Continuing on)When I saw Ranko, she was soaking wet....so I offered
to let her wear my clothes. Anyway, is she in? I'd like to give these back
to her.

(Ryoga turns back to face Shori. His face is no longer beet-red. But once he
looked into her beautiful eyes, he could feel a slight tinge of color coming
back. But he couldn't worry about that now. He knew that if he told Shori
Ranma was in, then all hell would break loose. He could picture the anarchy.
Akane would find out about Ranma and Shori. Ranma would blame Ryoga for
letting her find out and tell Akane that her pig was really Ryoga........)

Ryoga:Um....he....she isn't in right now. She left for school already. You
can give them to me and I'll hand them to him....her when I see her.

Shori:Well, okay.(Hands Ryoga Ranma's attire and the wallet) Can you please
tell her I stopped by and that I said thanks for yesterday?

Ryoga:Oh...okay. I'll do that.

(Just as Shori was about to turn around to leave, the frontgate opens, and
out steps Kasumi, much to Ryoga's dread.)

Kasumi:(Smiles sweetly)Ohiyo gozaimasu, Ryoga.(Notices Shori)Ohiyo gozamasu.
I'm Kasumi.

Shori:Ohiyo gozaimasu. I'm Shori. It's nice to meet you.

Kasumi:Are you a friend of Ryoga's?

Shori:Actually, I'm a friend of Ranko. Are you her sister?

Kasumi:Ranko? You must mean Ranm.....

Ryoga:Kasumi!

(By now, humungous beads of sweat are forming all over Ryoga's face. He had
to do something.)

Kasumi:What is it, Ryoga?(Notices the sweat)Oh my. You're drenched with
sweat. You must be coming down with something....I'll go get you a towel.
(Turns to Shori)I better get going now. Why don't you stop by someday for
dinner.

(Ryoga's face faults)

Shori:I'd love to.

(Ryoga falls to the ground from all those forebodding thoughts of
distruction and beatings from Akane.)

Kasumi:Oh my.

(Kasumi kneels down and helps Ryoga to his feet, throwing one of his arms
around her shoulder. She bows to Shori as Shori bows back in return. After
that, Kasumi and Ryoga head back into the house as Shori heads of for her
own school.)

(Disater adverted....at least for now.)

<End for now>

Well...there's yet another fanfic. I hope this story interesting
so far. First off, I'd like to say that these characters were created by
Rumiko Takahashi. I would never infringe or take credit for any of her
works. Please e-mail me if you have comments. I hope these developement
stories are a good change from all those zany fanfics you're so accustomed
to. If it isn't, then I'm sorry if I disappointed you. I'm sorry for any
spelling or grammatical mistakes. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading this
so far.

P.S.-All of my fanfics are now my new webpage:
http://www.isc.rit.edu/~jkw7063/fanfic/

Jeffrey "OneShot" Wong

<Bye>