Disclaimer: Characters used in the story are creations of the great Rumiko Takahashi.
Author's Note: Please read and review. This is my very first and hopefully not my last fanfic. Thanks!
By the way,
"..." for speech
{...} for thoughts
... for sounds
THE NECKLACE
by Raven Nyx
Chapter 1
Despite it being a Wednesday afternoon, a school day, Nerima's Shopping District was bustling with activity. People, young and old, were happily going in and out of stores with shopping bags and gift boxes in hand. Food shops were teeming with people. The chill in the air hinted the approaching holidays. It was barely two weeks from Christmas.
Akane and her closest friends, Yuka and Sayuri, were among the milling crowd doing their own Christmas shopping. Yuka and Sayuri were already carrying two paper bags each. Akane was yet to make a purchase. She had already bought presents for her father and sisters and Mr. Saotome the other day. She even bought Happosai a gift. It was after all a season for giving. As for Ranma, she was still trying to figure out how she was going to finish the sweater she was knitting him. The armholes and collar were proving to be a challenge, that is, the lack of them. So, her shopping agenda for the afternoon was to shop for herself. However, one coffee shop and thirty-one stores later, she was yet to find something she really wanted.
Akane sighed. Her feet were starting to ache.
"I don't think I'll be buying anything today, guys. Let's go home."
"You sure, Akane? We've yet to finish this alley," Yuka motioned to more crowded stores ahead.
"Positive."
Akane and her friends slowly made a turnaround. No longer on the lookout for good buys, they moved quicker through the busy alley. Suddenly a glint from a shop's display window on Akane's left caught her eye. Without her friends noticing, she abruptly stopped in front of the display window. She was clearly mesmerized by what she saw and oblivious to the people squeezing past her.
"... right, Akane?," Yuka intoned as she tried to get Akane to agree with what she was saying. There was no reply.
"Akane?"
Sayuri and Yuka turned their heads to look at Akane. No Akane. They looked back and saw Akane standing in front of a small shop. The wooden sign hanging from a rusty metal bar above the shop's door read "A-Z Antiques".
"Akane," Sayuri called as she and Yuka made a beeline back to where Akane stood. "What is it?"
Still clearly entranced, Akane slowly pointed her finger at a particular trinket on display. Yuka and Sayuri strained to see what she was pointing at through the dust-coated glass window.
The necklace that Akane was fascinated with was seemingly unremarkable compared to a pair of ruby red earrings, a silver ring encrusted with sparkling diamonds and a grasshopper brooch lined with emeralds beside it in a sterling jewelry box. The necklace's chain was of a very dull gold, tarnished by time. It had long lost its luster. However, hanging from the chain was an exquisite tear-shaped pendant of an iridescent blue gem. The dull color of the chain made the sparkling gem stand out.
"Beautiful," Akane murmured.
"Let's check it out," Sayuri said as she tugged Akane toward the shop's door. Yuka followed.
Sayuri opened the door.
Kling kling
One by one, they entered the shop.
In the shop's dim lights, the girls saw that it was cluttered with stained furniture and dusty shelves holding small vases and old books, toys and figurines. Stacks of still unopened crates lined the wall behind the display window. Other than cobwebs, there were old crystal chandeliers and a heavy wooden ceiling fan hanging from the ceiling. Everything seemed to be layered with dust. When they had wended their way towards the far backend of the shop, they saw a glass counter showcasing trinkets and other small items. An ancient cash register was set beside the counter. Behind the counter, a dark gray curtain blocked the view of a backroom.
"Hello?" Yuka called as she leaned forward trying to peek behind the curtain.
The girls gasped in surprise as an old man suddenly poked his head through the curtain. "Yes?"
"Oh, sorry if I startled you," he said apologetically as he came out from the backroom. "I didn't hear you come in."
Feeling rather stupid for their unfounded fear, they chuckled with relief.
"So, what can I do for you?" Rubbing his hands together, he gave the girls a toothless grin.
"Could we see the gold necklace on display?" Akane pointed in the direction of the display window.
"Sure, sure." The old man got out from behind the counter and hobbled towards the display window. He took the necklace out of the display, rubbed it clean against his brown trousers and hobbled back towards her.
"Thanks," Akane said as she took the necklace from him.
The old man quickly got behind the counter, took out a mirror and set it on the counter. "Why don't you try it on?"
"Yeah, Akane, let's see how it looks on you," Yuka added.
"Okay." Akane nodded as she gingerly unclasped the necklace.
Sayuri took the two ends from behind Akane and as she fastened it, Akane felt a surge of energy come through her body. It left a pleasurable tingling sensation that made her sigh and smile. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and admired the pendant resting on the white collar of her uniform. The gem seemed more radiant than when she first saw it.
"It looks good on you," Sayuri said as she and Yuka looked at Akane admiringly.
Akane smiled at her friends and then looked at the old man and politely asked, "How much would this cost?"
"Just 1500 yen." The old man beamed.
"I'll take it." Akane quickly rummaged through her bag for her wallet.
The sun was just setting when Akane arrived home. She sighed with satisfaction as she fingered the blue pendant of her new necklace. {It's perfect}, she thought. {It's as if I'm meant to have it.}
"I'm home" Akane slid the door open and quickly took off her shoes.
"Welcome back, Akane." Kasumi, her eldest sister, coming out of the kitchen greeted her with a sweet smile. "How was shopping?"
"Wonderful!" Akane gushed. "I bought this beautiful necklace at a bargain," she said proudly as she placed her fingers on the necklace.
"It's beautiful, Akane." Kasumi looked at Akane's necklace admiringly. She then remembered that she was preparing dinner. "Oh my! I forgot I was preparing dinner. You better go and change, Akane. Dinner will be ready in a while."
"Mm." Akane nodded.
Dinner was served. As usual, the dinning area was filled with the sounds of chopsticks on rice bowls and chewing. Happosai stealthily fished a piece of pork from Genma. Genma was trying to steal a pickle from Ranma. Ranma caught his father trying to steal from him and gave him a swift kick to the head. Genma, at once, gave a tearful speech about raising an ungrateful son. Kasumi was giving her father, Soun, another cup of steaming rice. Akane and Nabiki were amused by the dinner antics of Ranma, Genma and Happosai. All seemed well.
Yawning, Akane closed her notebook. She had just finished studying for a history quiz. She glanced at the clock. It was almost one.
"I better get some sleep," she said out loud. She shoved her notebook and pens into her bag and turned the desk lamp off. Beams of moonlight streaming through the window still faintly illuminated the room. She slowly stood up, closed the curtains and quickly flung herself into bed.
Now that she was curled up in bed, she couldn't seem to sleep. Sighing, she turned to lie on her back. For the nth time, she unconsciously fingered the blue pendant as she stared up the dark ceiling. Another sigh escaped her lips. {Soothing.}
She was still wearing the necklace. {It doesn't feel right to part with it}, she had justified when she decided to wear it to bed. Gradually, she felt her eyes getting heavier and her body relax. In a matter of minutes, she fell into a deep and dreamless slumber.
The window suddenly slid open. The curtains fluttered as a strong wind breezed into the room. As sudden as the wind came, all was calm again. Too calm. There was a sense of foreboding in the air.