Ryoga’s plan

Chapter 2

 Ranma was running, always running. From Shampoo, Akane, Ukyo, her mother...At least her mother dropped that manliness crap. She even wanted to take her shopping saying that it wasn’t proper to go around as a girl improperly dressed. Damned elastic sports bra and boy shorts panties. She even had him ware the undergarments when he was a guy. 

 “Son, you will do this. They are just undergarments. They are plain and without frills. That way when you get splashed you won’t be giving the boys a show. And when you change back into a boy they are stretchy so you won’t get pinched and uncomfortable.”

 He had eventually given in. He couldn’t deny his mother anything. But now she was running. Running again because he had a new situation. One entirely of the panda’s making. A new suitor. A male one. Greedy panda. Not only that this agreement was made before her birth also. And little did his mother know, he or rather she was going to probably have to honor this agreement. She felt so trapped. He hadn’t told anyone yet. Not even her mother.

 Because if her mother knew, she would be married off and making babies as soon as possible. And with him of all people. To think that in order to pay for their house, the Saotome home, Genma sold any possible daughter he would potentially have into an arranged marriage. And if not honored her own mother would he homeless. 

  Akane has bursted our laughing and almost seemed giddy at her father kicking him and the panda out. It still hurt despite that fact neither wanted to be married to one another. Well Ranma wasn’t sure, he thought he loved the tomboy, but when she lied about the cure and the way she acted about the new engagement. Soun had been livid though.

 “Saotome! How could you do this? What about the schools?” Soun cried out.

 “How could I know that he would claim Ranma to be eligible for that deal? The man is connected Tendo! Even I can’t run from this one! You know how the Yakuza are!” Genma begged.

 “GET OUT! You have forsaken the Tendo agreement for the last time. And take your freak of a child with you!”

 Ranma looked over to Akane to see her reaction. He felt himself tear up at the giddy look in her eyes. He turned to Kasumi looking for help and she blushed and looked away. He slumped. It was over. He had come to love her, but she obviously didn’t love him.

“A...Akane?” He asked pitifully.

“You heard him Ranma, get your stuff and leave.” Akane said stoically. To Ranma’s surprise it was Nabiki who looked pissed off at Akane.

 “Akane! Ranma has saved you time and time again, stopped the hentai horde and was willing to marry you. He is as much part of this family as you and Kasumi!” Nabiki said. 

 “No he isn’t, I was handling the persevere boys at school, hell I kinda like the attention, even Kuno isn’t that bad looking. Not if I’m honest with myself. But Ranma is a freak! I didn’t want to marry him and the only reason I went along with it was because I was confused. I got caught up in the competitions of it all. Thinking that of one of the other girls won, that I’d be less of a martial artists. Man I was dumb.” Akane said ruthlessly. 

 Nabiki gasped. “Is he not even a friend? Mother would be disappointed in you!”

“What do you care Ice Queen? You’ve sold enough pictures of me to fund a small army.” Akane looked smug in saying this. “I might be his friend one day, but not now, not after mother’s shrine was ruined at the wedding. And yeah maybe mother would be disappointed, but she would have never tried to force my hand in marriage either. And I can’t help but see Ranma as part of that. I know now it isn’t his fault, but until he finds a cure or decides to lock the curse, I won’t be dragged into his chaos anymore. Neither will this family.” She stayed firmly. 

 Nabiki sighed. “Sorry little brother, come with me real quick, I have something for you.” Nabiki beckoned him to follow. He was shocked when she handed him a fat envelope.

 “Look Ranma, I am sorry, sorry for the way I treated you, sorry for the ‘help’ I gave for all this to come to a head. I wasn’t expecting it when I started looking for other engagements, I didn’t do it to cause problems. It’s just that your father was crating to much crap for us to afford. Especially with this latest one. The Yakuza might not be a threat to you personally, but your mother, and the  Tendo family as a whole, and anyone else in your life would he in great danger. And you can’t protect everyone. I’m sorry Ranma.”

 “Here is the cut from all the pictures I sold of you and any other scheme I heaped on you. I truly see you as family, and even though your not marrying any of us. I see you as a little brother...or sister depending on the weather of course!” She smiled letting him now she was teasing. Ranma for his part was struggling to keep his tears in. He reached over and grabbed a glass of water and splashed himself. 

 Nabiki was almost bowled over by a short redhead as Ranma launched herself into Nabiki sobbing. “I’m so sorry Nabs! I didn’t know...I didn’t know. That pops had this hanging over my head. (Sniffle) it hurts so bad, I thought Akane and I had something. Did....did you see what family the agreement was with?” Ranma asked finally.

 “No, only that it’s a Yakuza marker and with a guy. His father isn’t Yakuza, but is the brother one of the most prominent Yakuza clan’s leader. When they saw that I had been digging around they called the marker in. Either you marry his brother’s son, or your mother losses her house. And I honestly don’t think it would end there. They would more than likely try to kill anyone associated with you if you defaulted on the agreement. That’s why father kicked you out. These people are deep in the government, the banking system, even its the Emperor’s family. They have advisors in his ear even.”

 Nabiki sighed. “I’m sorry Ranma, if I could I would get you out of it. However I don’t have that kinda of pull.”

 Ranma blinked out of her memories of the day before. When she had came home crying Nadoka had swept her up and tried comforting her. She only told her mother about the Tendo’s kicking her out. She hadn’t told her about the panda’s latest insanity. Not that it would phase the old man. He had immediately turned ashen face at the news of his latest marker coming due and fled into the night. Not even bothering to leave a letter. Now Akane, Ukyo and Shampoo were  chasing her. Closely followed by Kodachi and some guys in suits. 

 “Ranchan! I’ll save you!”

“Pervert! Flirting with my sister!”

“Airen! I save you from pervert girl and new marriage!”

“HO HO HO HO! I’ll beat you harlot and get you married away from my Ranma Sama!” 

 “Mrs. Saotome! This running is futile, you will marry or your father’s marker will be called in.”

 Ranma stepped off the side of a building she had just hopped onto. She landed in the ally and immediately went into one of the sealed techniques disappearing among the trash and rubble. She held her breath as the men in suits rounded the corner on either end. Somehow the girls had kept running and missed her jumping down into the alley. Just leaving her with the Yakuza thugs. She was sure she could beat them easily. However she was afraid for her mother. 

 “Come on girl, Mr. Tanma won’t hurt you! We know it sucks, but a debt is a debt. His brother’s son isn’t bad. He is a martial artists like you. I know your here girl! Come out or I’ll signal the men at your mother’s house and she’ll be out in the street within seconds. And when we do finally catch you, your mother’s body will be used to pay for the inconvenience Mr. Tanma had to endure in finding you. So you see? You can’t run! Come out and we will escort you to your mother’s some and introduce you to your fiancé.” 

 Ranma sighed and dropped the technique. She was well and truly fucked this time. The men around her sighed in relief. 

 “Come girl, we have a limo waiting.”