Donny Cheng 


Disclaimer:  All characters portrayed in this story are the property of
Rumiko Takahashi and co.

This story takes place after volume 38 of the manga.  It also draws
ideas from the anime.

This is volume 1 of my Preludes and Interludes series, which in turn is
a part of my Life and Times series.

C & C welcomed.  Flames not.

Preludes and Interludes Volume 1

By

Donny Cheng


                                 RYOGA

Present day...

        Ryoga sighed as he looked at the vacant lot in front of him.
He was finally home again.  It was going to be another day alone if his
parents weren't home.  He sighed again as he trudged towards the back
door.

        "Hey, who's making all that racket."

        Ryoga snapped his head to see where the voice was coming from.
It was Ranma.  Ranma, sitting beside a fire and a tent, was apparently
camping out in Ryoga's own backyard.  "What are you doing here?"

        "Ryoga?  It is you.  I should be asking you.  How'd you ever
find you way back home without help?"

        "Do you take me to be totally inept?"  Actually, Ryoga had been
trying to find his way to the Tendo Dojo, but Ranma didn't need to know
that little tidbit.  "Anyway, I asked you first."  To Ryoga's
astonishment, Ranma seemed to blush.

        Ranma gave Ryoga a lopsided grin.  "Don't you remember, pig
boy?  Four years ago today was supposed to be the fourth day of our
duel.  A student of the Anything Goes School is supposed to honor and
accept all challenges.  I should've taken your getting lost into
account, but pop wanted to go to China that day.  Since that time, I
tried to make up by making sure I made it to all our future duels.
But, I never did get over missing that very first one.  So, I guess
that's why I'm here.  For old time's sake."  Ranma did not say it
aloud, but he knew it was because of that incident he had a falling out
with Ryoga.  Ryoga had once been his best friend.

        Ryoga stared at Ranma.  The jerk actually remembered.
Strangely, Ryoga found his anger at Ranma start to fade ever so
slightly.  This had reminded him of the time he learned the shishi
hokodan and challenged Ranma.  Ranma had waited an extra week for him
to show up for their duel.  Ranma had showed up for every duel ever
since they met up with each other again after junior high.  Maybe,
Ranma truly did want to make up for what happened all those years ago.
He remembered how he and Ranma had been good friends once.  Though they
argued throughout the sixth grade, Ranma never failed to bring him from
home to school and vice versa.  Despite himself, he found himself
returning Ranma's grin with a toothy one of his own.  "Well, since
you're here, let's spar.  Think of it a continuation of that duel."

        "Bring it on."

                               * * * * *

        Ranma and Ryoga huddled together near the fire as they nursed
their wounds.  Both of them had silly grins on their faces.  They
practically glowed with the physical exertion.  Ranma turned and looked
at Ryoga.  "So did you hear about Michiru and her 'friend' Haruka."

        Ryoga did not say anything.

        Ranma smiled knowingly at Ryoga's silence.  His old friend
didn't fool him a bit.  Ryoga's nose was currently bleeding profusely
and his eyes were glazed over.  Ranma guessed that Ryoga had heard the
news.

        Fortunately, Ryoga had gotten over his crush on Michiru a long
time ago.  "Yeah, I hope the best to them both.  Funny, how you think
you know a person and they turn around and do something completely
different."

        Ranma knew that Ryoga's statement had not only been directed at
their shared friend, Michiru.  It looked like Ryoga might forgive him
one of these days after all.  Happy anniversay old friend, Ranma
thought to himself.

                               * * * * *

Eighty years in the future...

        Ryoga knelt beside Akari's sleeping form.  He knew that she
would not last the night.  He held her frail hand in his as whispered
his love to her.

        Akari slept fitfully.  All of a sudden, she jolted awake.
"Ryoga, where are you?"  She cried out as she frantically searched
around for him.

        "I'm here, Akari.  I'm right beside you."  Ryoga desperately
tried to sooth his wife.

        Akari's eyes cleared from her nightmare and sighed with relief
that Ryoga was still beside her.  "I had a dream.  I dreamed of seeing
your dead body with blood all over the place."

        Ryoga choked back the tears that were threatening to burst from
his face.  Akari, even when she was dying, she cared more about his
welfare than she did anything else.  "Don't worry.  I'm all right.  You
just rest.  Everything will be all better in the morning."

        "Don't lie to me Ryoga.  We've been together too long a time.
Even if I do survive the night, there is still tomorrow night.  If not
then, it will be the night after that.  Face it Ryoga, I'm just too
old."

        Ryoga could not say anything to rebuke Akari's conclusion.
Instead he just gathered her into his arms and held her.

        "I always wondered, why did you stayed with me all these
years?"

        "You know the reason.  I love you."

        "I know that you also loved HER just as much, if not more."

        "You knew?"

        "Everyone knew except for her.  Sometimes I wonder how much my
life would have been different if you told her of your feelings."

        "It didn't matter if I told her or not.  She was not mine to
love.  I saved her from the pain of breaking my heart."

        "But your heart did break, didn't it?"

        "It did, but I was saved in the end by a person I cared about
just as much.  You were the only one that could mend my heart."

        Akari could see the truth in Ryoga's eyes.  "I love you too,
Ryoga."  Akari died later that night.  Her last thoughts were focused
on the image of her still youthful husband.

                               * * * * *

        Ranma paused midway into his kata as he felt the presence of
Ryoga approach.  The chi that he felt was dark and negative.  "Akari's
dead?"

        Ryoga said nothing.  He stopped a few meters away from Ranma.
From there, he proceeded to do a kata of his own.  He was warming up.

        Ranma sighed.  "It doesn't have to end this way Ryoga.  What
about your children or your grand children?  The last I heard you also
became a great-grandfather.

        Ryoga finally broke his silence.  Though his voice was calm,
his eyes betrayed the deadness of his soul.  "The two loves of my life
have finally departed from this world.  Before I met them, I had seen
hell because of my wanderings and my curse.  Their presence and my goal
to defeat you were the only reason I had not died a long time ago.  Now
that they are gone, do you think that I can stand to live another day
of loneliness?  With or without your help I will die tonight.  I
promised Akari on our wedding day that though we did not come into this
world the same time, we would leave it the same moment.  I would rather
I die in battle."  Ryoga finished his warm up and got into a ready
stance.

                               * * * * *

        "You've improved, Ranma."  Ryoga coughed up blood as he fell.

        Ranma quickly rushed to his old friend's side.  "Why didn't you
block?"

        "You know that most of our battles take a couple of weeks to
finish.  I had to end it tonight."

        "Idiot."  Ranma could only stare at Ryoga's bloody body.

        Ryoga struggled as he clung onto life for just a moment more.
"I lied about what I said earlier.  My life hadn't been a total hell
before I met Akane or Akari.  I remember a boy and a girl that I knew
in junior high.  They always made sure I was not alone.  For nearly a
year, they stayed by me taking me home and to school.  At first, I
thought he was just there to tease me.  It wasn't until later that I
knew the jerk could only express his feelings in the form of insults.
I just want you thank this moronic idiot for me after I die.  And say
goodbye to Michiru for me."

        "I will pig boy."  Ranma's voice was breaking up as he watched
his friend's death.  Ryoga had finally forgiven him.

        Ryoga grinned weakly.  He died with a peaceful smile on his
face.

        Ranma dug Ryoga's grave next to Akari's.  He hoped that they
were now together again.

                               * * * * *

About four years before present day...

        Ryoga glared at Ranma who was currently stuffing his face with
food.  "Boy, you're such a pig."

        "Oh stop that, Ryoga.  You know how hungry Ranma is.  Besides,
you brought him more food than I did."  Michiru smiled at the two boys
beside her.  She had known Ryoga since he was little.  She was the only
reason he was able to go to grade seven, with him getting lost all the
time.  She hadn't been able to help him home and to school as much as
before, since he now went to an all boys school.  Luckily, Ranma
entered the picture.  The three of them soon became fast friends after
their initial encounter, though Ryoga would never admit it.  Ranma was
not very rich and had to go hungry most of the time.  She and Ryoga
ended up bring part of the lunch to Ranma whenever they could.

        Ryoga grumbled.  "He doesn't even have the decency to thank you
for the food you brought him."  He had a huge crush on the older girl
beside him.

        Michiru laughed at Ryoga.  "You're too sweet for your own
good."  She laughed again as Ryoga's nose bled when she tried to hug
him.  "I wish we could be together every day."

        Ryoga recovered as held his nose with is hand and looked at the
pigging out Ranma and winsome girl before him.  He was alone at home
most of the time because his parents often got lost like him.  He
didn't know what he would do if he couldn't see either of his two
friends anymore.  "I do too."

                               * * * * *

The End. (maybe)


                                 GENMA

Present day...

        Genma opened his eyes as he awoke from his meditative state.
Nodoka was sitting beside him with a worried expression of her face.
"Tell Ranma to meet me at the vacant lot by the park."  He then got up
and left for his destination.

        "Genma..."  Nodoka could do nothing to stop her husband from
his decision.

                               * * * * *

        Happosai crept silently back to his room.  He had heard
everything.  Genma was finally ready to test Ranma's resolve.  Ranma
must be told of this.

                               * * * * *

        "What do you want, you old lech?"  Ranma asked in a bored
voice.

        "You would do well to listen to me boy.  I'll have you know
that at this moment your father is planning a duel with you."  Happosai
smirked knowingly at Ranma.

        "Pop?  Not that cradle of hell thingie again."  Ranma shuddered
at the memory.

        Happosai bopped Ranma on the head.  "This isn't the time to be
thinking of nonsense.  Your father is going to ask you to make a
decision he had to make long ago."

        "Yeah?  What's that?

        "How far are you willing to go in the art?"

        "What do you mean by that?  Of course, I'm going go as far as
possible."

        "How old do you think I am, Ranma?  One hundred?  Two Hundred?
I am well over three hundred years old.  Chi can do many wonders to the
body.  It increases strength and speed as you well know.  It also
decreases the stress the human body faces everyday from the
environment.  The farther you progress in the art you will begin to
notice these more and more.  A martial artist of decent caliber can
live to a ripe old age and still be fit and trim.  A martial artist of
your caliber can probably surpass mine and Cologne's level with a some
hard work."

        Ranma gasped in horror.

        Happosai nodded in understanding.

        "You mean, I'm going to end up looking like an old troll."

        Happosai bopped him on the head again.  "Here, I'll explain by
telling you a story.  This is back when the boys and me used to play
practical jokes on one another.  I would stiff them with the bill or
frame them with my panty raids.  They would get me drunk and lock me up
in a cave in response."

        "I don't think they thought of those as practical jokes."

        Happosai ignored Ranma and continued.

                               * * * * *

Eighteen years ago...

        Genma grunted in frustration.  Was there anything that could
defeat the old pervert at all?  Soun was already out cold on the
ground.

        "Impressive Genma.  Who would have thought that someone like
you could develop a martial art as powerful as the one you just used."
Happosai forced himself to laugh out loud.  Inside he was reeling with
pain.  Those repeated strikes had hurt a lot.  Fortunately, Genma's new
art was designed against a person of at least average size.  The art
likened the human body to a house and was specialized in destroying it
methodically from the foundation up.  His smaller size made it harder
for his pupil to use anything other than techniques that attacked the
'base of the house'.  "Now, do you give up?"

        Genma knew when he was beat.  He would have to wait until he
had perfected his new art, the Yamasen-ken and the Umisen-ken, before
he could take his master on again.  Immediately he groveled as
Happosai's feet.  "I'm so sorry, Master.  I didn't see you there.  I
thought that some bandit had barged in on our campsite.  I tried to
fight valiantly to protect our belongings."

        Happosai could not help but feel disappointed.  Three hundred
years.  It took three hundred years of waiting and this had been the
best pupil that he could find.  Not that Genma was all that bad.  He
just wished that his student would have more of a backbone.  Oh well,
after a bit more time, Genma would try again.  He would be ready to see
what new heights the Anything Goes School of martial arts would reach
then.

                               * * * * *

Seventeen years ago...

        Happosai felt something that he had not felt in a long time.
He felt his age starting to creep up to him.  "So, you've decided to
give up on the art?"

        "NO!"  Genma shouted out only realize how loud he was yelling
and who he was yelling at.  "I mean no, master.  I do not wish to give
up the art.  I am content to stay at the level of skill that I am at
now.  I will continue to train with you if you wish, but do not feel
the need to train me anymore."

        Happosai sighed.  So close.  He had been so unbelievably close
to finally having a successor.  Through his harsh training, Genma had
reached the pinnacle of the art.  All Genma had to do was surpass that
point and receive a new level of enlightenment.  He could remember when
he himself had passed that point and become a true master of the art.
"Very well then.  You and Soun will continue to train with me."
Despite both his students wanting to stay at their current level,
Happosai still felt the urge to grow and expand the school of Anything
Goes.  To do that he needed constant sparring partners trained enough
to help.

                               * * * * *

Present day...

        Ranma could not believe what he heard.  "Pop wanted to stop
advancing in the art.  I thought he had reached his limit and was just
too lazy to go any farther.  I mean, look at how he's always pushing me
farther into the art."

        "Your father and Soun both made the same decision for the same
reason, their wives and their family.  Cowards, the both of them.
Choosing the safer path.  The path of the art is a dangerous one."

        Ranma stared at Happosai.  Coward?  He could visualize his
father's face when he was still a toddler.  Genma always had this
slight smile when Ranma learned a technique successfully.  To him, his
father seemed to love the art more than he did anything else.  "No, pop
is not a coward for choosing a different path.  He loves the art very
much.  He gave up something precious to himself, so he could end his
life with my mother.  If anything, I would say he was braver than I am.
If I had to make the same decision between Aka... I mean my family or
the art, I don't know if I would give up the art so easily."

          

        Ranma and Happosai turned to see Nodoka clapping with a smile
on her face.  "Very well said, my son."

        Happosai gave Nodoka a thoughtful look.  "Perhaps, you're right
Ranma."  He then left to give some time alone to Ranma and Nodoka.  His
youth and surprisingly a young Cologne occupied his thoughts.

                               * * * * *

        "I told Genma that I was pregnant with you, nearly seventeen
years ago.  Right after that, he told me that he had to see the old
master for a moment.  He never told me why, but he could never hide
anything from me.  I knew that he had given up on reaching that next
level of enlightenment for me and our small family."

        Ranma could not for the life of him imagine his father giving
up longevity for anything.  His father seemed to value his life very
much.

        "That was the main reason that I let him take you on that ten
year training trip.  Genma wanted to recreate those same circumstances
and live vicariously through you.  Well, my son.  Have you made a
choice?  The art or family?"

        Ranma could honestly say he didn't know.  He knew that he
wanted to be remembered.  He risked his life to have Akane gain back
her memories after Shampoo erased them.  He knew that he didn't want to
be hated.  He risked Akane's wrath to have Shampoo love him again
during that little problem with the reversal jewel.  He knew that he
wanted everyone alive and well.  He risked his life several times over
to save Akane from extremely powerful foes including Saffron.  He knew
that he could live with Akane living a life with another.  He nearly
gave her up to Shinnosuke.  He knew that he could not live without the
art at his command.  He was ready to leave his friends and family
behind when Happosai made him lose his strength.  He knew that he had
to be the best there was in the art.  He trained constantly and never
gave up until he defeated his opponent whether it was toughened up
Ryoga, a super strength Akane, or someone he considered an enemy.

        Nodoka held Ranma to her in comfort.  "Don't worry.  I'm sure
you will make the right decision.  Right now, you have to meet your
father at the empty lot.  He's waiting for you."

        Ranma let go of his mother's embrace.  "There's still one thing
I don't understand.  How did ever get the chance to make that decision
anyway?  How could someone like him get someone as good as you, mom?"

        "I was at a bath house when I met your father.  Happosai was up
to his old tricks and Genma and Soun were of course with him.  I caught
Genma peeping at me.  What a manly man your father was?"  Nodoka's eyes
glazed in memory.

        Ranma facefaulted.

                               * * * * *

        Ranma bigsweated as he arrived at the empty lot.  This had not
been what he was expecting.

        "Well, boy.  Don't stand there gawking.  We have a long week
ahead of us."  Genma was lugging a huge backpack and holding another in
his hand.

        What happened to that big decision his father was going to ask
him about?  Happosai, of course, was the reason.  The old perv probably
heard wrong.  However, Ranma didn't care at the moment.  The pack
seemed to gesture invitingly at him.  "Another training trip?  Haven't
you had enough of them?"

        "No."  Genma answered that like it was the dumbest question he
ever heard.

        "Same with me.  Come on let's go."  Ranma grinned as he and his
father left on their journey.

                               * * * * *

Ten years ago...

        "I don't want to go to sleep.  I want to train some more."
Ranma mumbled sleepily as his small form finally gave way to
exhaustion.

        Genma smiled proudly at his young son.  Ranma was off to a fine
start as a martial artist.  He tucked his son in for the night.

                               * * * * *

The End. (maybe)


                                SHAMPOO

A years after present day...

        "Let me through!"  Shampoo commanded in her most authoritative
voice.

        The amazon guards nodded at Shampoo once and let her through
into the sacred hut.  The only person that could enter was the
matriarch of the amazons.

        Shampoo slowly walked in, basking in the aroma of old books and
spices.  This room was her great-grandmother's.  Inside were books on
ancient lore and martial arts.  All of them were now hers, after
Cologne and Happosai had disappeared during Second Impact.  Both the
old masters had waited three hundred years before they could finally
find someone worthy enough to pass on their skills to.  Her and Ranma.
Shampoo glanced at the books with sadness.  Tears slowly fell down her
eyes.  Her great-grandmother was gone.  For the first time in her life,
Shampoo felt totally alone.

                               * * * * *

Three hundred years in the future...

        Ranma stood at the gravesite with a sad expression.  He paused
to give a moment of silence for a dear departed rival.  It was then
that he felt something brush against his legs.  It was a cat.  Ranma
immediately froze in terror.

        The cat seemed to sigh at Ranma's expression.  The cat walked
away from Ranma to behind some bushes.

                               * * * * *

        "Hello, Ranma.  Long time no see."  The short aged woman said
to a still stunned Ranma as she emerged from the bushes.

        "Shampoo."  Ranma said her name out softly as he recovered from
his shock.

        "Ranma, I can't believe you.  You're the most powerful martial
artist in the world.  My cat form is toothless and old.  What could I
possibly have done to you?  Gam you to death?  Suffocate you with my
shedding hair?"

        Ranma chose to ignore those comments.  He looked at Shampoo
angrily.  "What are you doing here?  I thought you didn't care for the
big lug."

        "I don't.  At least, not in the way that he wanted.  However,
he did stay by my side for over a hundred years before he finally died.
It was the least I could do to visit him on the anniversary of his
death."

        "I'm sure he's crying for joy in heaven right now."

        Shampoo could hear the bitterness in Ranma's voice.  "You're
still angry after about what happened after all these years."

        "Why, Shampoo?  He asked you a simple question just before his
death.  Why couldn't you do it?"

        "I think you know the answer to that question.  My heart had
already belonged to another person then and still does to this very
day."

        Ranma knew who that person Shampoo was talking about.  "You
could have lied."  The words sounded wrong to his own ears.

        "You wanted me to lie?  I remember a person long ago who had
once had a fight with Mousse.  The fight was for me, if I remember
correctly.  That person, although he said he did not love me, chose not
to throw the fight in favor of Mousse, who did love me.  He told Mousse
that it wouldn't be right for him to accept such a dishonorable way of
winning me.  Wasn't that the same situation, when Mousse asked me if I
loved him or not?  I told him that I loved him as a friend, nothing
more.  Would it have been fair to him, had I told him otherwise?  I'll
have you know before you stormed out of the room, Mousse had died
happily knowing that I did love him at least a little."

        "I didn't..."  Ranma did not know what to say.

        "No, you didn't know and I didn't tell you.  The truth was I
wanted you to misunderstand.  I wanted you away from my life.  And you
know why?  It was because at that time, I discovered my first wrinkle.
True, I had still looked like I was in my late twenties, but I knew
that age was creeping up to me, albeit very slowly.  I kept you away
from because of vanity.  For two hundred years, I lived with the
knowledge of you being angry with me for such a silly reason.  I pity
myself at times."

        "Why are you telling me this now?"

        "I'm dying, you idiot.  Your skills should be able to tell you
how low my chi has fallen.  I think that I may have only a couple of
years left before I go.  I just wanted some of the skeletons out of the
closet, before the time comes."

        "I could have had Urd use her magic to keep you at a young age
forever like she did to me."  Ranma was saddened with the knowledge of
another friend leaving soon.

        Shampoo winced at the mention of that hussy.  "Her magic only
worked on you because the template of your curse was specifically that
of a young girl.  She just tied your male side's life span with that of
your female's side.  My template was just that of an ordinary house
cat.  It ages as I age.  Besides, who ever said that I wanted to live
forever?  And do you think I would let that bimbo lay a finger on me?
I'm so very tired, Ranma.  All I want to do these days is rest my weary
bones."

        "I understand.  Sometimes, I wish I could just settle down a
have a good long rest."

        "But we both know that you won't.  I happen to know there are a
few girls that would be terribly interested if you happened to die.  I
don't think the Almighty would be happy having another war between
heaven and hell for your soul.  Also, the call of the art is too strong
for a martial artist like you to ignore.  I have turned a deaf ear to
the call.  I would rather leave my descendents to answer them.  My
great-granddaughter is worthy enough to be my successor."

        Ranma's head perked up at the mention of the girl.  "How is
Ranko by the way?"

        Shampoo smiled knowingly.  Despite her differences with Ranma,
he still visited the village once in awhile to see the children of the
village.  "She misses her Uncle Ranma, of course.  She would like to
see you again."

        Ranma smiled at Shampoo for the first time in many years.
"Mind if I escort you back home then?  I want to see the little bugger
again too."  For some odd reason, Ranma felt close to the girl with his
namesake.

        "Of course not, Ranma.  It'll be a date."  Shampoo smiled wanly
and she hopped aboard Ranma's backpack.  It was a much better mode of
travel than her cat form.  Ranko would be happy to see Ranma again.
Too bad they didn't know they didn't know they were great-granddaughter
and great-grandfather.  However, it was all for the best.

                               * * * * *

Present day...

        Shampoo wearily plopped down on one of the restaurant's plush
chairs.  It had been a particularly trying day today.  Mousse hounded
her the entire time.  Those lecherous boys for Furinken high came by
again, also.  She hated being cheerful to the male side of the species,
other than Ranma.

        "Hey!  Shampoo, how about some service?  You guys are still
open, aren't you?"  A male voice called out as the door of the
Nekohanten opened.

        Shampoo blinked with surprise.  It was Ranma.  "Airen!"  She
immediately glomped on to him.

        "Cut that out Shampoo.  I just want to get some food.  Akane's
has been cooking again.  I tried to eat as little as possible of the
food.  I'm starving right now."

        "Poor Ranma.  Shampoo get groom food right now.  Don't worry,
it on the house."  She happily went into the kitchen to cook something
up for Ranma.

        Ranma watched Shampoo as she left for the kitchen.  The old
ghoul had been right.  Shampoo did look lonely the past couple of days
and she did look sad when he caught her off guard right now.  Maybe it
wasn't much, but if a little visit made her feel better, then Ranma was
glad to help.  After all, he did owe Cologne and Shampoo for some of
the help they've given him over the past year.

                               * * * * *

        Shampoo could not wipe the smile off her face as she prepared
to go to sleep.  Maybe today hadn't been a total loss.  She had no
friends in Nerima other than her great-grandmother so she cherished
every moment she spent with Ranma however fleeting.  Just before sleep
claimed her, she wondered what it would be like to have Ranma by her
side in the future.

                               * * * * *

The End. (maybe)

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