Likely reactions to Ranma's departure

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

A scenario that has been bubbling around in my head for a while finally managed to pupate, so I decided to see if people could provide the details I need in order to make this scenario into a story- oneshot or serial, I neither know nor care about at this stage.

The basic concept can be summed up in these three words: Ranma's had it. Tired of Nerima and all the crap he goes through on a regular basis, he just up and leaves in the middle of the night- he doesn't take any efforts to solve things or anything like that, he just leaves. He takes no belongings (he doesn't really need any, and while he's loathe to use them normally, Genma did teach him quite a bit about thievery), leaves no note, just waits until the Tendos are asleep and then slips out of his futon, his room, the house, and then Nerima, all as quietly as possible. So, when everyone wakes up the next day, Ranma has apparently vanished into thin air- a human Mary Celeste.

My question is thusly this: what would be the most likely reactions from people? Both at Ranma's initial disappearance, and afterwards, when they realise that he evidently isn't coming back?

My second question; how long would it take for them to realise that he has left Nerima with no intent of coming back?

My third and final question; how long would it take for them to get discouraged of chasing him? As used to living on the road as Ranma is, and without anyone to take care of but himself, he would undoubtedly be a very hard person to find- the old axiom of "looking for a needle in a haystack" seems to apply very well here. If not "looking for a needle in a pin factory".

[mondu_the_fat]

Of the Nerimans, Shampoo, Ukyo, and Ryoga has had extensive experience with dealing with a fleeing Ranma.

1) Reaction from Shampoo (and the amazons) would be shrug and the chase is on once again. Ukyo and Ranma would probably wonder _why_ he left (with Ukyo ranting over anyone she perceives caused him to leave and Ryoga ranting at Ranma). Akane would be hurt, as would Kasumi and Suon but to a lesser degree, and Nabiki even less. The Kunos would go into a tirade of something.

2) Very quickly, despite Ranma and Genma going out on trips for training. Let's say Ranma left when there was a challenge that just arrived -- if he disappears without a note, likely they won't be thinking "Ranma ran away" and more like "Ranma's in trouble." If the current situation was an idle, day-to-day one with no weird stuff (I'm sure it happens off-screen), Genma might immediately pick up the fact Ranma's gone within a couple of days... or even that day itself (Genma looks after Ranma after all, despite being an ass, and a son/meal ticket being gone for a day is enough to make anyone worry). If Ranma disappeared after a hurtful (to him) event, then they'd notice as well, but a bit longer, maybe a week. The first few days would be just them "giving him space".

3) Shampoo and Ukyo? Never. Shampoo will likely pick up the scent quickly. Ranma has been trying to _actively_ get away from her, but she still manages to chase him to a country where her grasp of the language is tenuous. Looking for a japanese girl in japan when you can barely speak the language, a japanese *boy* half of the time that you have no idea what he looks like, no resources, and no legal trail? Shampoo has done it before, she'll do it again (and this time Shampoo knows Ranma's male form, probably has a better grasp of Japanese, and with cologne). This is also true with Ryoga (in the case of him going to china, plus direction sense) and Ukyo. Genma has all the advantages those 3 don't have, knows Ranma better than any of them, and has more experience than any, so he's likely to find Ranma faster than even Shampoo.

The rest of the cast will likely give up an active search soon. Its popular for fanfic for Nabiki to lead the search, but really, I can't see her paying attention to it. The kunos, given their odd mental states, will either forget him entirely once they realize he isn't coming back or obsess with him.

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

Just one further query on your comments: would Ryoga want to chase Ranma again? His hatred of Ranma has pretty much simmered to rivalry after the Mark of the Gods storyline, and as he now has someone else to obsess over, aka Akane, is it possible that he might decide to just let him go?

Before Jusenkyo, Ryoga chased Ranma because he had absolutely no other purpose in life- after Jusenkyo, he wanted revenge for being cursed. But now that he's in love with Akane, and given that he has actually thought about doing the smart thing in relation to her at least once (during the anime version of Shampoo's first storyline, he actually considered using the opportunity to get closer to Akane), is it at all possible that he might not be an idiot and decide to try and stay in Nerima to woo her?

Also, with the Amazons, seeing as how Mousse is pretty much their greatest liability (primarily due to his feelings on the matter, partially due to his blindness), what would they do about him when they set out? And would they try and conceal their own departure so as to avoid spurring the other parties into hastening their pursuit, or actively align themselves with Genma and/or Ukyo, as it's better to lead a rival to him and fight over who gets him afterwards than it is to be constantly fighting with a rival pursuer and thus giving Ranma a better opportunity to escape?

And on a different note, if Ranma's been pushed to this extent, what sort of things is he likely to do to deliberately make his trail harder to follow? For example, dying hair, changing hairstyle (does't need to tie his hair up post the Nikumen's appearance, after all), leaving the country, that sort of thing?

Actually, if he was willing to run off and escape them, what might he do if actually cornered? Would he be willing to fight back- at least long enough to distract them that he could flee?

[mondu_the_fat]

Just one further query on your comments: would Ryoga want to chase Ranma again? His hatred of Ranma has pretty much simmered to rivalry after the Mark of the Gods storyline, and as he now has someone else to obsess over, aka Akane, is it possible that he might decide to just let him go?

Depends on the timeline, as well as the situation. I'm pretty sure he won't by the time Akari makes an appearance (again, depending on the situation -- if Ranma were in trouble Ryoga ikely will try to look for him), and pretty sure he will in the earlier ones. Its a toss-up between.

And on a different note, if Ranma's been pushed to this extent, what sort of things is he likely to do to deliberately make his trail harder to follow?

No more than avoiding someone who's actively trying to kill him and can't be reasoned with. I'd imagine he already did everything to throw Shampoo off.

Actually, if he was willing to run off and escape them, what might he do if actually cornered? Would he be willing to fight back- at least long enough to distract them that he could flee?

In real life an underage runaway chased like will eventually return if they are found, and likely they'll return on their own accord. Since there is no hint canonically of what he'd do (considering that running away permanently is completely out of character for him in the first place), I'd go with that.

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

Do you have any opinions on my question about the Amazons?

And if Ranma was found by Ukyo or the Amazons, would they want to take him back to Nerima? Is it possible that they might decide to let the others back there think they never found Ranma, whilst really moving somewhere else with him?

Ranma seems to have stayed in China to train some after getting his curse though; as Shampoo was only after his girl-side, and as Genma isn't the brightest bulb, it seems that they didn't take all of the steps that they could have to avoid her- the inferral seems to be that if Shampoo found their cursed forms, they'd do their best to shake her off and, once she had lost them, they'd reassume their true forms, without really giving much thought to her. Not sure why I brought that up now... ah well, probably didn't have a reason in the first place.

I have to say that I can't see Ranma willingly returning to Nerima if it's finally gotten to him enough that he leaves of his own free will. He is more than able to survive on his own on the road, and if he really wants to set up a new life in an urban environment he could always try settling at a new dojo- even without offering his hand (which is just about the absolute last thing he'd do), wouldn't some dojos be willing to give room and board to such a talented martial artist in exchange for officially making himself a student of that style and/or offering to teach them his own techniques? Anyway, to get back on subject, if he's gotten so sick of Nerima that he leaves of his own free will, I see him resisting any attempts to take him back- Ranma is a stubborn one and he hates to lose, and what would going back be but admitting defeat?

Basically, Ranma has neither need nor desire to return in this sort of scenario, so him meekly agreeing to just come back with his tail between his legs just because they tracked him down doesn't seem to fit.

[mondu_the_fat]

Do you have any opinions on my question about the Amazons?

Whatever they did to Mousse before, likely they'll do it again -- probably leave him and let him play catch-up. The only reason I can think of why cologne lets him stay is as laborer. If Ranma's on the run, they won't be dragging along restaurant help.

Amzons take him back to Nerima? No way. Ukyo, maybe, but definitely not the amazons.

I have to say that I can't see Ranma willingly returning to Nerima if it's finally gotten to him enough that he leaves of his own free will.

1) What part of his personality says that? Ranma's an attention whore. Maybe he'd be fed up with it, for a day or so, then he'd be back.
2) That's what *all* children think when they run away, which is why they run away in the first place (other than the ones bright/cynical enough to think that it gets them attention).

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

And this part of my Amazons question?
And would they try and conceal their own departure so as to avoid spurring the other parties into hastening their pursuit, or actively align themselves with Genma and/or Ukyo, as it's better to lead a rival to him and fight over who gets him afterwards than it is to be constantly fighting with a rival pursuer and thus giving Ranma a better opportunity to escape?

I've personally never seen Ranma as an attention-whore; he tolerates the beatings and stuff he gets at least partially because he doesn't want to lose any of his fiancess (they're the entirety of his social circle, after all), but he rarely brags unless others have been bragging to him first. But, whether or not he is an attention-whore, he's an attention-whore with a brain and experience on the road. He knows all he needs to do is drift into another town and he can start building a new social circle- hell, given that he'll be even more unique outside of Nerima (which seems to be something of a mecca for high-rank martial artist), his prowess would probably make things easier.

Ah, what do you mean by point number 2? It's kind of hard to comprehend.

[mondu_the_fat]

And would they try and conceal their own departure so as to avoid spurring the other parties into hastening their pursuit, or actively align themselves with Genma and/or Ukyo, as it's better to lead a rival to him and fight over who gets him afterwards than it is to be constantly fighting with a rival pursuer and thus giving Ranma a better opportunity to escape?

No, they wouldn't conceal anything. It wouldn't matter to them.

Ally? Nope. Again, it would not matter to them. I'd imagine they think themselves at better at tracking Ranma than anybody else. Cologne might keep tabs on Genma.

Ah, what do you mean by point number 2? It's kind of hard to comprehend.

They'll take him to china, not Nerima.

if you mean the other thing:

When children run away, in their mind its because they're fed up with whatever is happening at home. Other children that run away from home are those who know (consciously or otherwise) it will get them attention. Saying that Ranma runs away because he's fed up with the situation is kind of a given (of course, I still say this is incredibly out of character). Face it, his life at the Tendo's is pretty sweet compared to life on the road -- less physical abuse from Genma, a roof, food, education, peers. For what? Pressure to choose a bride, an event that isn't immediately pressing? the physical challenges would still be there even if he did not live with the Tendo's. He'll realize this sooner or later, especially when he starts sleeping on the ground, even if he's done it before. People will put up with just about anything short of physical torture to insure they will have a place to sleep.

[SpaceKnight of Chaos]

2) That's what *all* children think when they run away, which is why they run away in the first place (other than the ones bright/cynical enough to think that it gets them attention).

I actually meant this comment- I got that the Amazons wouldn't take him back to Nerima. Hell, that's the last place they'd want to take him. But why is it possible that Ukyo might try to convince him to go back to Nerima? Her business is also inherently mobile, so if she did manage to track him down, why would she not decide to abandon Nerima in hopes of travelling with Ranma like she used to with her father, seeing it as a chance of getting him to finally "admit" that he loves her? Whether or not Ranma wouldn't run off again is a different question, but one that has no relevance to this one.

And while they wouldn't really care about being noticed, I'd still say that them alerting their enemies (which is what the others would be, more or less) is a bit stupider than I'd credit them with being.

[Southern Cross]

Actually,given the situation described,Ranma certainly won't want anyone following him,ESPECIALLY the Amazons.Considering all the nasty things they've done to him,Ranma would probably try to make sure they CAN'T follow him.