"Ryoga and P-chan"
by Henry J. Cobb
$Id: ryoga_n_pchan.txt,v 1.2 1997/02/23 05:20:52 hcobb Exp $

Ryoga searched for the right words. "Akane, I..."

Akane was distracted as a third figure entered the Tendo living room.
"P-chan, you're back!  I've missed you so."

So, he has the nerve to show himself in that form, Ryoga thought.

The small black pig avoided Akane's grasp and leapt up onto the table.

He's going to attack me?  Ryoga was only slightly surprised.  This
should be fun.

The pig deliberately spilled Akane's hot tea on himself and transformed
into Ranma.

"Ranma!" Akane's eyes widened in shock. "But how?"

Ranma stepped down from the table, wrapped the jacket Akane offered him
around his waist, looked her in the eyes and said. "Ryoga gave me his
curse."

Akane was bewildered.  "Ryoga was P-Chan?  Is this true?"

"Yes."  Ryoga admitted.  "Funny, isn't it?  Akane, now that Ranma's the
pig and I'm the real man..."

The look in Akane's eyes was something Ryoga had never seen there
before.  Intense hatred and disgust, directed at him.

Akane pulled out a hammer, but Ranma held her back. "No Akane, let Ryoga
handle this, like a real man."

Ryoga suddenly realised his mistake.  In an act of spite he had thrown
away his honor.  If he wandered the Earth forever, he would never forget
that look in Akane's eyes.  "I... I'll be going now."

"Goodbye Ryoga."  Ranma's voice was very cold.  "I'll be leaving soon
myself Akane, back to China.  Even if I can't find the Nannichuan, I at
least know where the Nyannichuan is."

"I'm coming with you."  There was such concern in Akane's voice, for
Ranma.

"I can look after myself."

"As a girl or boy sure, but as a pig?  Face it Ranma, you need somebody
to watch your back."

The voices faded away behind Ryoga, as he made his way back home, for
the final time.

	Henry J. Cobb	hcobb@slip.net          http://www.io.com/~hcobb