Title: Love For All Time	Part 7

Author: Jade Hunter

A.N: Alright, this had to come sooner or later, Ryuujin's leaving, and the reactions
       of the Nermia Ward!

Disclaimer: Standard disclaimer is on Parts 1 and 4.

"talking"
**thoughts**
<<telepathy>>
_emphasis_

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	"WHAT?!"

	"What do you mean, boy?" demanded Genma, suddenly up close and 
personal.

	"First of all, there is a concept called personal space," Ryuujin snapped.
  He pushed Genma back with a considerable amount of force, propelling the bald 
man to the other side of the dojo.  "Look into it.  Second of all, I mean what I said.
  I am leaving Nermia, for good."

	"Now, now, son-in-law," Cologne shook her head, "you should know that 
wherever you go, we go."

	Ryuujin narrowed his eyes and continued with a bit more venom in his 
voice, "I am tired of being treated like an object and not a person."  He turned to 
Akane and growled, "You have been beating me up for no damn reason ever since 
I first got here.  You have also called me many untrue names.  I am in no way a 
pervert."

	"Yes you are!  Don't try to deny it!  You saw me naked on the first day we 
met!" Akane hollered, half-blind with rage.

	"It was YOU who walked in on ME.  How does that make ME a pervert?  How 
could you not have noticed the 'occupied' sign I hung?  Huh?  Why do I get called a 
pervert when I did nothing but take a bath and _you_ were the one who walked in on 
_my_ bath time?" Ryuujin retorted.  He was about to say more when he reconsidered, 
"Nevermind, argueing with you is a waste of time and energy."  He faced Ukyo and 
said neutrally but firmly, "Ucchan, you are my best friend, and have always been.  But 
that's what you'll always be to me, nothing more.  Please accept that."

	"Ran-chan," Ukyo sniffled, fighting back a wave of tears.  She stood up and 
fled the scene.

	"Shampoo," Ryuujin sighed.  "I don't love you.  Kodachi, I don't love you.  In 
fact, I can't even trust you two.  How am I supposed to after all the times you've 
drugged me?"

	"Ranma-sama, I only did that to prove that my love for you is true," Kodachi 
protested, pouting slightly.

	"How you supposed to realize you love Shampoo if Shampoo not drug you?" 
Shampoo asked incredulously.

	"By leaving me alone and letting me come to my own decision?" Ryuujin 
questioned, shaking his head at their cluelessness.

	"That not heard of," Shampoo declared.

	"Proposterous!" Kodachi said at the same time.  She rose up, and with a 
flourish, whipped out her ribbon and bounded out of the room, calling out, "You shall love
me yet, Ranma-sama.  The game is _not_ over."

	"I'm afraid I must join my....delusional sister," Kuno announced, standing.  "But
see here, Saotome, you made a wise choice in running.  For had you stayed for much 
longer, you would have had to face the TRUE POWER OF THE BLUE THUNDER OF FURINKAN
HIGH!"  Lighting flashed outside, and Kuno lowered the bokken he had materialized from
nowhere and bowed, saying, "Farewell, Akane Tendo."

	Ryuujin had a HUGE sweatdrop on his head, his fist clenched in an attempt to
control the incredulous and slightly hysterical laughter bubbling inside of him.  None of 
them were taking this seriously!  Well, four down, and yet, he felt more stressed than ever
before.  With a sigh, he turned to the remaining people and....blinked, rubbed his eyes, 
and then blinked once more.  In the time that he had taken with Kuno and Kodachi, the
Lost Boy had lived up to his name, and Cologne had disappeared, taking with her, her
ragtag team.

	Two more down, only the Tendo family and his parents to go.

	"Listen, Ranma," Nabiki started.  "You absolutely _can't_ leave.  It'll plunge
my income level down more than a shocking ten percent!"

	"Ranma, family honor must be upheld," Kasumi chided gently.

	""Listen to Nabiki, listen to Kasumi," Soun begged, tears flowing.  "Son, you
_must_ stay!"

	"For the honor of the Saotome family, you _must_ stay, boy," Genma growled.

	Nodoka said firmly, "My son, honor must be upheld."

	"I don't care what you think," Ryuujin stated.  He stood up, threw a glare at 
everyone in the room, narrowed his eyes at Akane, and spit out, "If you want the family
honor to be secure, why don't _you_ marry Akane, old man?"

	Ryuujin then stormed out into the night, leaving three stunned adults, and three
disgusted sisters, whom were shuddering at that last idea.

	'Ranma' was never seen again.

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To be continued in Part 8.

~~~~~Jade Hunter~~~~~