Continued from part 18.

  --------------------------------------------------------------

                         RANKO 1/2

                          Part 19

                     "My name's Ranma"



Two female figures are running through Nerima, Tokyo.  Ranko is
hurrying down a street at top speed.

Ranko:  [thinks]  Gotta get away, gotta get away!

Voice:  Ranko!  Korosu!

Ranko twitches at the sound of that voice.

Ranko:  [thinks]  Gad!  Does that girl never *sleep*?

She ducks into a side street, hoping that her pursuitor missed her
change of direction.  Unfortunately, by looking over her shoulder
she misses the fact that there is a big, wooden tank of water
ahead.  She runs into it at full speed, flipping over the side and
falling head-first into the water.

Ranma:  Ayaa!

Now male, Ranma jumps out of the tank, fighting of a giant lobster
that holds his pigtail in its claw.

Ranma:  Get off me, you sea-insect!

He pounds the black crustacean back into the water.  Apparently
his ducking into the side street has led him to the back of a
seafood restaurant.  But he has no time to look around.  Shampoo
swings around the corner at full tilt, one bonbori raised high.

Shampoo:  Ran... [stops]  Oh, Ranma!  Nihao!

She makes her weapon vanish somewhere and runs at Ranma with
outstretched arms.  Ranma ducks, to avoid her embrace and the
inevitable kissing that would follow.  Shampoo looks at him,
pouting, apparently hurt.

Shampoo:  Why Ranma no kiss Shampoo back?

Ranma:  Look, Shampoo.  I really can't... I mean, you can't...
        [takes a deep breath]  I can't marry you.

Shampoo:  But Ranma defeat Shampoo.  She must marry Ranma.

Ranma:  How do you expect me to marry you, when... err... When you
        always chase after Ranko?

Shampoo:  Law says Shampoo must kill.

Ranma:  I don't care!  The law says this, the law says that - I
        can't like a girl who's always out to kill m... Ranko!
        Leave her alone!  [thinks]  Perhaps this will work.

Shampoo:  Ranma no want Shampoo kill Ranko?

Ranma:  Yes!

Shampoo:  [frowns]  Shampoo must think.

She slowly walks away, leaving a relieved Ranma behind.


One day later, Ranma is coming home from school with Akane.  When
they enter the Dojo, Kasumi greets them.

Kasumi:  Welcome home.  Ranma, your friend Shampoo was here with a
         message for you.  She said that there was only one way to
         resolve the matter.  You have to fight a match over it.

Akane:  What matter?

Kasumi:  She didn't say.  [shrugs and smiles]

Ranma:  I tried to convince her to leave my girl form alone.

Akane:  [suspicious]  You didn't promise her anything, did you?

Ranma:  Of course not!  [thinks]  I just hope, Shampoo understands
        that, too.


Akane is just walking through the living room, when Kasumi calls
out from the kitchen.

Kasumi:  Oh, Akane!  Could you do me a big favour and quickly get
         some flour at the shop?  We seem to have run out.

Akane:  Sure, Kasumi.  [smiles back]  I'll go right away.


At the market, Akane is walking down an aisle of goods.  In her
shopping basket are the flour and some other things.  She has
taken the opportunity to look around, while she's at the shop.
She stops before a display of sweets.

Akane:  [thinks]  Oh, yes.  I could take some of those, too.
        Ranko loves them.  [smiles]  Better take more, then, or
        there won't be any for me.

She overhears two boys talking in the next aisle.

Boy:  Hey, didja see that total babe?

Akane:  [frowns, thinks]  Men!

Boy2:  That Chinese one?  Sure, hard to overlook, is she?  I saw
       her this morning in the park, y'know?  She was jumping in
       and out of a tree.  Strange girl.

Boy:  She was probably practisin' to hide there and jump out to
surprise her lover.

Boy2:  You sure she has one?

Boy:  No way she wouldn't, with that figure.

Boy2:  Aw, yer dashing my dreams, y'know?

Akane, who froze when she recognized the object of the boy's
dialogue, has heard enough.  She runs off.

Boy:  Just think of those balloons she has.

Boy2:  Bonbori.

Boy:  Huh?

Boy2:  They're called bonbori.  Large metal spheres, affixed to
       wooden handles.  Difficult to wield, but pretty dangerous
       if you can master them.

Boy:  You been reading books again?


Akane arrives at the Dojo, out of breath.  She storms into the
house and shouts for Ranko.  Kasumi comes out of the kitchen.

Kasumi:  Ranma is already out.  He went to the park for his match
         with Shampoo, remember?  Did you get the flour?

Akane:  Oh no!  I'm too late.  I think that match is a trap - I've
        got to warn Ranko!

She runs off again, but calls back over her shoulder.

Akane:  The flour's in the basket, Kasumi.

Kasumi:  Thanks, Akane.  [smiles to herself]  They're always
         running to or from somewhere.  No wonder they're always
         hungry.


With gritted teeth and clenched fists, Akane runs through the
Nerima streets at top speed.  Before her mental eye flash pictures
of Shampoo jumping out of a tree, behind Ranma, ambushing him.
The pictures change to ones of an unconscious Ranma being dragged
off to China to marry Shampoo.  Akane redoubles her speed.

When she turns into the park and runs along the path, she soon
spies a prone form lying on the grass before a tree.

Akane:  Ranko!  [thinks]  Oh god, let her be OK.

She plops down on her knees besides Ranma, relieved that there are
no outward signs of injury.  She reaches out and touches Ranma's
shoulder, shaking him slightly.  Ranma moans.

Ranma:  Ummmm... [opens his eyes]  Oh.  What...?

Akane:  [embraces him]  Oh Ranko!  You're okay!

Ranma seems happy about Akane's sympathy, but looks a little
confused.  When she releases Ranma, he asks her

Ranma:  Akane, what are you talking about?  You know my name's
        Ranma.  Who's Ranko?

Akane steps back, her eyes wide, her fingers splayed in shock.


Arguing voices approach the Tendou Dojo.

Ranma's voice:  Honestly, Akane, I have no idea what you're
        talking about.  I remember everything fine.  People with
        amnesia *know* they've forgotten something.  You're
        pulling my leg.  I bet there never was any person called
        Ranko.

Akane:  I just found you, lying unconscious in the park, and you
        question *my* sanity.  It's *your* brain that's scrambled,
        baka!

Ranma:  Don't call ma baka, kawaikunee!  Just because you're my
        fiance doesn't mean you can treat me like this.

Akane falls silent at this.  Her fists clench and unclench at her
side.

Akane:  [thinks]  He's not himself.  He's not well.  I won't hit
        him.  He's not himself...


Souun:  He *completely* forgot?

Kasumi:  Oh my!

The Tendous and Genma are sitting in the living room,
discussing recent developments.

Akane:  And he's behaving differently, too.  [thinks]  Called me
        his fiance...

Genma:  We could hit him over the head again.  Perhaps that will
        restore his memory.  I saw that happen once on the
        television.

Souun:  Ha ha ha, I saw that, too.  Let's do it!

Nabiki:  I don't think that show was meant to be taken as medical
         advice.  Perhaps... we could splash him with cold water.
         That would make it pretty impossible to ignore Ranko.

Genma seems a little reluctant to let go of his idea, but finally
nods agreement.  Soon, four shadowy figures creep into Ranma's
room.  One of them is carrying a bucket.  They approach the
sleeping boy.

Genma:  [whispers]  Is the water ready?

Akane:  [whispers]  Got it!

Nabiki:  On my sign.  One... two...

Suddenly a loud voice rings out.

Voice:  Stop!  Don't do it!

-- End of Part 19.

  --------------------------------------------------------------

Continued in part 20:  "It's so hard"

Sebastian
--
       <http://enterprise.mathematik.uni-essen.de/~bastian/>
                         Comics reviewed
--
Experience is what causes a person to make new mistakes instead of
old ones.