Ranma looked at Akane, really looked at her. She was the girl promised to him from a time before his birth. She was standing beside him at the alter, and they were to be married. It had been a crazy adventure, and Ranma couldn't help but wonder if it was at an end. But no, that couldn't be... something was still missing.
"Do you take this woman to be your wife?"
Ranma opened his mouth "I do"
The marriage contract would be signed after the ceremony, but Ranma could feel the burden on his shoulders, the pressure already lifting with the two simple words.
"And do you take this man to be your husband?"
Ranma's eyes glanced over the priest, an old man with short grey hair and
wrinkles face. His eye brows seemed to droop downwards in a almost comical way.
"I I do..." Ranma turned to Akane, surprised by the emotion choking her voice. Ranma felt a moistness coat his eyes.
"You may now kiss the bride"
Ranma leaned forwards, towards her, their first kiss. Everything was quiet, perfectly quiet and Ranma vowed "Akane... I may not love you, but some day I promise I
will..."
He felt the softness of her lips on his, and he wondered if they should be the
happiest day of his life.
The honey moon, Ranma mused as he sat on the roof of the modest hotel staring up at the stars. The roof tiles beneath him were cold and made of some sort of stone. Concrete perhaps. The city lights surrounded him like an ocean of stars and he was at the very center of their galaxy.
"Akane..." he said, the word help tiredness. She was inside crying herself to
sleep. Because...
Ranma shook his head. She was too young. Maybe in time...
He thought back to the kiss at the alter only ten or so hours ago. The sound of the city suddenly seemed to still. The barking of the dogs ceased and the odd cars that
drove by below came to an end.
"She wouldn't a said 'I do' if she hated me... would she?" Ranma wondered. He laid down and stared at the black sky, the stars drowned by the city lights. It must be midnight.
"Maybe I'm just not good 'nough for her..."
They'd be leaving for home, early that morning. But Ranma laid awake the night, waiting dawn. And then when dawn came, he found he was still waiting for something.
Ryouga looked up at the dawn sky. The golden and red sun just breaking over the horizon. He hadn't shown up for the wedding, Ranma had sent him an invitation. He hadn't shown up and Ranma had asked him to be the best man.
Ryouga shook his head. Akane, Akari... Akari... he mused, not quite sure where his thoughts were leading. He'd been dating Akari for a month now, seriously and soon... well soon he was going to propose.
He looked around, and saw he was back at the farm. The sign "Unryuu Sumo Pig Farms" was a dead give away. He'd only been gone a day getting the mail. Ryouga smiled and mentally patted himself on the back. He was getting better at this.
Ranma sat in the yard before the koi pond. He wore black slacks and a ragged red silk shirt that was torn and shredded. It was the last shirt of this type he had. Soon he'd have to replace it.
His reflection stared back, murky in the water because of the recent rain fall that had stirred up the muck and sediment on the bottom of the pond. He saw a pigtailed boy, eighteen years old. A koi jumped from the surface of the pond in an eruption of water, Ranma jumped back in surprise but the splashed water still found him. Ranma chan looked back into the pond at her reflection, distorted by the ripples.
"Where's the romance?" he wondered. Hadn't their been a few shining moments where everything had been perfect. The Christmas party when Akane had giving him the yellow scarf thingy. Or the time they'd done that stupid Romeo and Juliet play.
Romeo and Juliet, how tragic it had ended... the real story. Ranma had read it just before the play.
"Ranma what are you doing out here?" Akane's soft voice asked. Ranma turned and saw her smiling. Behind her the sky was gloomy and dark, promising a storm, but her smile was brighter than any rays of sunshine could possibly dream of being.
Ranma stood up. "Waiting..."
"Waiting for who?" Akane asked genuinely surprised.
"Waiting for you" he leaned forward and kissed her on the lips.
Akane's eyes widened and her hands arms stuck out at her sides rigid. If Ranma had giving her a little shove he was sure she would have toppled over like a statue.
She pulled away, eyes still wide.
Ranma gazed into her eyes, looking for any sign of intelligent life.
"Ranma no baka!" The hand streaked through the air, lightening fast, making a whooshing sound. Crack!
Ranma, thrown by the force of the slap landed in the pond, muck and all.
"Just great" Ranma said, feeling a koi fish brush against his leg in the neck deep water, well at least neck deep to his girl form.
Ryouga looked past the sign at the long winding driveway, he was almost home now. He breathed in the air, but it was tinged with smoke. His eyes widened and scanned the horizon. Maybe Akari or her grandfather were burning scarp wood in the yard.
He ran to the old two story farm house, but it looked fine. Bursting through the door he ran to the kitchen with its linoleum floors and eggshell white walls.
The window above the kitchen sink was open and through it he could see the barn behind the house. The barn that was engulfed in flames. A cloud of black smoke rising into the air. Ryouga wasn't one to swear.
"Shit!" he said, climbing through the window. He was inside the barn in seconds.
"Akari!" he shouted.
"Ryouga over here!" she called back.
The inside of the barn was usually well kept and orderly. The pens were separate by small wooden fences and there was a large door at the rear of the barn that was forever open and that led to a small out door pen for the pigs to play and laze around.
Now the air was filled with the shrieks of wild, desperate pigs trying to escape. The fires engulfed the walls and the smoke was so black and thick Ryouga couldn't see. He felt like gagging and his eyes were burning so badly tears flowed freely from his eyes.
"Akari!" he shouted, rushing blind into the inferno.
Then a section of the roof fell and he heard Akari scream. Ryouga ran towards her and he saw her, pinned beneath the a large wooden ceiling beam that was engulfed in flames. Akari's torso and head was visible, her arms pinned at her side. She wasn't moving, and her long brown hair was on fire. The beam atop her was the sort of beam used to hold large stacks of hay stored in the loft above the pens. The beam most likely weighed several tons.
Ryouga didn't waste time, his bare hands grasped the burning beam, it took several seconds for the heat to travel through the callouses of his palms, but as his flesh melted and bubbled Ryouga only tightened his hold. He lifted with all his might, his legs digging into the ground. The beam creaked and shuddered but he couldn't lift it.
"I can do this" he said, Ryouga backed up, trying to get a better foot hold.
Splash
He looked down at the bucket he'd just stepped in. Despite the fire the buckets contents were cold.
"Akari" he screamed. "I love you!"
Then he was transmuted into a little black pig. He was saved by Katsunishiki, Akari's prized sumo pig and he watched the barn burn from the yard. He was helpless.
Just a weak pathetic pig.
The funeral was a solemn affair inside the depths of a dark and musty stone church. Ranma looked over at Ryouga who was talking nervously to Akane. Akane wore her best dress, it was pure white. In Japan its custom to wear all white at a funeral.
The funeral was being held at the same church as the wedding last week. They'd cremated her body. Well... she was cremated in the fire but they put her ashes in the Urn.
Ranma shook his head, what a way to go ne? He sauntered over to the buffet for sandwiches and some sake. He'd give Ryouga his condolences later. He looked back at the two who were still talking and felt a pang of shame and jealousy.
Shame that he wished it was Akane in the Urn and jealous of Ryouga's freedom.
The last week had been hell. Ranma wondered if his taste buds would ever recover from Akane's murderous cooking. He put a sandwich in his mouth and began chewing. Yep, everything still tasted of arsenic and shit.
"So what are you going to do now?" Ranma asked Ryouga. They stood outside of the church, everyone was already packing it in and leaving. Ryouga looked at Ranma in all seriousness "Jusenkyou... I'm going to find a cure..." he said.
Ranma shrugged. He turned away and looked out over the grave yard, the tomb stones standing silent vigil. "I wish you the best of luck man..."
Ryouga nodded, "see ya around Saotome" and then he was walking away. Ranma
turned to watch him leave. "Yeah... later man."
"Ranma! Dinner is ready" Akane said.
Ranma shuddered at the sound of her voice. He stood in the cold dojo, his bare feat planted on the solid wood planks of the floor.
"No thanks, I'm not hungry he said..." There was a moment of silence so complete that Ranma could hear the drops of sweat falling from his overworked body hit the floor.
"Suit yourself" Akane said, mock cheerfully. "If you'd rather spend all night in the dojo instead of eating the nice home cooked meal I spent all evening making... well SEE IF I CARE!"
Ranma felt the vibrations shudder through the dojo as Akane stomped off and slammed the door.
He breathed a sigh of relief and continued the Kata he was making. It was a mixture of styles. It seemed this one used more powerful moves. Knee strikes and other brutal attacks, but that wasn't surprising as Ranma felt the well of anger growing inside of him.
The door opened again. Ranma didn't pause moving, instead he picked up the pace to try and impress his watcher.
Genma stood at the door. "Take a break..."
Ranma ignored him and picked up the pace some more. His feat for hitting the ground in a rapid, solid beat. One form blurring into the next, strike after strike.
"As your sensi I order you to stop... you don't eat... you don't sleep, I'm worried for you boy."
Ranma stopped suddenly and turned slowly. His hollow eyes focusing on Genma.
"Yeah? So what..."
"So you'll destroy yourself and what's worse, the art... that is what. Your getting sloppy."
Ranma took an offensive stance. "Come on then old man, fight me... we'll see whose sloppy."
Genma lunged forward and Ranma blocked his fathers fist with raised elbows. Genma then jumped into the air, jerking his knee up hard between Ranma's elbows and into his face. Ranma tasted blood as he felt the cartilage of his nose snap. Ranma swayed on his feet, seeing only red and he attacked ruthlessly.
Genma made short work of his son, kicking him brutally into the ribs and then catching him in the jaw with a right hook.
Ranma's head snapped to the side and he fell.
Shaking his head in disappointment Genma left. He looked over his shoulder at his disoriented son who was standing on shaky legs.
"Control your emotions, or else they'll control you... how can you defend yourself when every thought is on attack?"
Ranma spat saliva tinged red with blood on the dojo floor. Blood from his broken nose flowing down his face.
Ryouga found the pools of sorrow, it was ironic really. It was as if his own sorrow in his soul drew him to this cursed place. It was night, the stars mysteriously absent. The guides hut was missing. But the pools were all their, hidden safe and sound beneath the rock cliffs of the valley.
Maybe once upon a time he would have lived happily after, if only to be cured of the pig. But now he walked the dirt paths beneath the springs with no joy and no happiness. Now he looked for the spring of drowned man with morbid curiosity. Would it work? Or perhaps he'd turn into some pig man, half man and half pig. The pools were all marked with signs in Chinese. Spring of drowned dog, spring of drowned mouse, spring of drowned horse... spring of drowned girl. An electric shock fired in Ryouga's mind.
Ranma had been here. Ranma had fallen into this spring.
Ryouga stopped and looked down at the water and he saw his reflection. But behind his reflection he saw the stars and the moon. He turned away from the water. The sky above, the real sky was black. Devoid of light. Why did the springs say otherwise?
Ryouga shook his head. He was almost there now... he felt the cold breeze blow through his clothes. He'd bring back enough water for Ranma and the others.
"Ryouga..."
The Hibiki boy paused and looked over both shoulders, there was nothing there. He continued on his way, and it wasn't long before he found the spring he was seeking.
The weeks passed. How many Ranma wasn't sure. He'd lost track.
"Is that all you go old freak?" Ranma spat in the direction of Happosai who was lying in a crater in the ground on the street. The chase had ended in front of Dr. Touffu's clinic.
Happosai leapt from the crater and brushed his clothes off. He looked up at Ranma with frazzled white hair tufts and angry eyes.
"You'll pay for that m'boy."
"Whatever" Ranma said cracking his knuckles. This is what he lived for... the fight. The mindless and brutal rage, the pounding of adrenalin.
"Happo Special Attack!"
The old perverts aura blazed immense around his diminutive form.
Ranma half smirked and half grinned, there was something malicious about it.
Wham!
Ranma found himself thrown backwards by the blow that struck him in the chest, directly in the solar plexus.
He gasped for breath and managed to touch the ground with his feet, allowing him to skid to a halt. Completely focused his eyes wildly looked around for his target, then he saw the master flying at him head first.
Several hours later the door of the Tendou home slammed open and fell off its hinges. A murderous Ranma chan stalked into the family room, drawing shocked, amused and horrified looks from all those around, respectively. Except Kasumi who just smiled cheerfully.
"Your looking pretty tonight Ranma chan" Kasumi said, "please join us, your just in time for dinner..."
Ranma looked down at her attire, she was wearing a white lace bra and a pair of matching panties.
"Dam stupid perverted freak..." Ranma spat and trudged through the room into the hall, and up the stairs to the guest room for a change of clothes.
Happosai entered the broken down front door a moment latter, a stop sign wrapped around his neck and clothes singed black as if by a blaze of fire.
"Dam stupid ungrateful students..." he muttered taking his usual seat at the
table.
Akane was sitting at the table picking at her food when she felt Ranma's presence as he sat down beside her. She glanced from the corner of her eye and saw he was wearing the familiar red shirt and black pants he'd worn on the very first day he'd shown up at the dojo. That was when she thought he had been a girl. She'd felt so relieved when she thought that she wouldn't have to be engaged but that had been short lived.
The cute, shy, red headed girl had actually been an arrogant, perverted boy. She looked at Ranma fully now and he turned to look at her noticing her gaze. She told herself she'd go as far as needed, that she'd even marry him if she had to. But when she looked at Ranma she felt no lust, no real attraction. She could kiss him and it'd be just that, a simple kiss. When she thought about it she realized she didn't know anything about Ranma. What was his favorite food? What was his childhood like? The list went on impossibly long and Akane wouldn't even know where to start.
"I can't do it" Akane said suddenly.
"Do what?" Ranma asked.
"I can't be your wife..."
Soun Tendou dropped his chopsticks and they clattered against the rim of his bowl before hitting the table.
"B..but family honor!"
No one said anything, they all turned to stare at Akane, except the old freak who kept eating his soba noodles.
"All the family honor can't make me love him..." Akane said.
Ranma stood up, "I understand" and he left the room.
Ryouga felt the hot sun beating down on him, he was getting a nice tan, but then again his skin always did have a healthy tone. He wore his usual clothes, the sleeveless yellow shirt and dark green pants so dark that they almost appeared to be black.
He had to find the Tendou dojo... he had to tell Ranma what he'd found. Even if Saotome would never believe him, not in a million years.
He also had to tell Ranma what had become of Shampoo and the Amazons. And he'd ran into Ukyou too. Ryouga closed his eyes and walked down the street blind, his eyes were so tired and heavy, he'd walked through the night and it was now mid day. Suddenly he heard the sound of combat