Permanent part 12Permanent part 12. Ryoga stood angrily over Ranma and glared down at her as she recovered from the shock of being hit. She stared at him dumbly from the ground. "Ranma! How dare you! How dare you cure me before curing yourself first!" cried Ryoga angrily, he slowly fell to his knees and began to cry. "Damn you Saotome, This is all your fault," he said softly. Ranma stood and took off her shirt. She placed it over the nude boy and lead him into the house. Ryoga simply followed without a word. Akane stood unmoving for several minutes, she glared at the spot where the boy had changed before her eyes. She fell to her knees and just sat for a while; questions ran through her head and she groped desperately for answers. "I think, the festival can wait till tomorrow," said Soun finally. Cologne shook her head in disbelief and pogoed off. Her plans for Ko li had been destroyed in a single instant. She had hoped that the two would develop a relationship and marry after she changed him back into a man. The girl had surprised her, but she was also prepared for this as well. The loss of the pill was not an unplanned scenario. It would just take a little more work to reach her goals; and she always did. Ranma watched sullenly as Ryoga dressed in some of her clothes. He watched her a little uncomfortably as he did. She was well aware that she had just given up the only cure she might find in her lifetime. He finished dressing and walked over to her and sat down beside her. He was wearing her sleeveless red shirt and a pair of her pants. They sat together in silence for almost half an hour. "Why?" asked Ryoga quietly. "Because you needed it more than I did," said Ranma simply. "No I didn't," said Ryoga angrily. "Who is a better judge? A mage or a thick headed martial artist who spent the last year and a half as a pig?" she said to him quietly. Ryoga growled and stood. "Damn it Ranma I..." "Don't, it doesn't matter now. Just accept it, please," she said without looking up. Ryoga turned and walked out into the hall to leave her with her thoughts. To her surprise Nabiki was the next to enter. She glared at Ranma angrily. "What did he mean?" she spat. "Does Akane know?" said Ranma simply. "So it's true, you are a boy," said Nabiki under her breath. "What difference does it make?" said Ranma simply. "Does Akane know?" "No, I don't think she noticed," said Nabiki as she sat across from Ranma. "But I know." "If you want to tell her that is your decision; you won't hear anything from me," said Ranma simply. "Your not going to tell her?" said Nabiki with tension in her voice. "Why? So she can feel awkward and uncertain about our friendship? So I can destroy the only good thing left in my life? No thanks," snorted Ranma. She looked up at Nabiki for the first time. It was then that the girl realized just what Ranma had given up for the boy. "Ranma?" she said looking at her as she went pale. "The panda?" "My father," said Ranma with a small smile. Nabiki left the room and went straight to her own. Akane was waiting outside patiently. She stood next to Ryoga and said nothing to him. She seemed to be ignoring his presence. He glanced at her and quickly looked away several times before she entered the room. "Ranma?" she said timidly. Ranma felt her throat dry up as the girl entered the room. "Hi Akane." "What just happened?" she said in confusion. "I finally found a way to cure my best friend," said Ranma with a wistful smile. "You don't look happy, I mean why are you?" stammered the girl in confusion. "Akane, don't go to hard on him," said Ranma with a wistful smile. Akane looked at him dumbly and nodded without really comprehending. Ryoga's words that day never did cross her mind again. Only the shock of seeing her pet turn into a man before her eyes and the realization that he had returned to his true form was remembered in the years to come. With that Ranma was finally left alone to mourn the loss of her cure. Akane sat on the roof of the home that night and looked out over the city. It had been an emotional day for every one. Especially Ranma and the boy; she hadn't even bothered to find out what his name was. "Akane?" said a timid voice from behind her. She didn't even have to ask who it was. "What do you want?" she said quietly. The boy stepped back and sighed, this was going to be harder for him than he thought. "We need...to talk," he said after a few moments. "I told you everything, my life, my hopes and dreams, my personal secrets. Things that I would never tell another human being," she said firmly. "Akane, I'm sorry. I..." stammered the boy. "You what?" she said looking at him with a gaze of ice. He backed away and looked nervously away from her. She could tell he was not having an easy time of this. "I will never break you confidence I swear it. You have to understand..." he stammered. "Do I?" she asked. This time her voice was soft and she had a sad hurt look in her eyes. "Akane, I am sorry, I only wanted to be a friend. I thought I was destined to be nothing more than your pet pig for the rest of my life. I never meant to hurt you. I..I only want to be friends. I had given up hope of being cured! Please understand that..." he said at last. Akane looked back over the rooftops and said nothing. Ryoga started to turn away. "I'm sorry," he whispered again. "You never told me your name," said Akane just before he was about to go back inside. "Ryoga, Hibiki Ryoga." said the boy with a strange uncertain look on his face. "Well Ryoga its nice to meet you, my name is Akane," said the girl as she stood up from her perch on the rooftop. "A new beginning? I like that," thought Ryoga as he entered the home. "I'll see you around," said Akane as she walked back into her own room. "Yea, see ya," said Ryoga. Neither of them noticed Ranma sitting in the shadows. "Its obvious you want to be more than friends Mr.P, " she said with a small frown. She looked out into the moonlight one last time before heading for bed. Tomorrow would be an interesting day indeed. Next time Ryoga re-adjusts to his life again, and Kodachi appears finally. A bit of foreshadowing on someone to come...and why is Ryoga so unhappy with Ranma? It was all her fault he was cursed in the first place! More on this as well... C&C to: Catbert25@juno.com Coming Up on Yahoo! Chat More... Tomb Raider! Join us for a webcast and live chat from the set of next summer's most anticipated film - Tomb Raider! It all takes place on Thursday, November 9th at 2:30pET/11:30aPT (8:30pGMT). It is your one chance for an exclusive sneak peek at the production from Pinewood Studios in London. 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