Disclaimer: Still don't own it. I promise I'll proclaim it to the world when I do.
A/N: For everyone who keeps asking when is the timeline for this story set – it's after the end of both Ranma and YYH anime. And I finally got my hands on all the Ranma mangas through the internet thanks to my dear aunt and managed to finish reading them. (Though volume 17 onwards were translations by devoted fans so they might've been a bit wrong.)
So yeah now hopefully this story will seem more better since I actually know what happens.
Again this chapter picks up from the previous one.
Chapter 2
Akane groaned as she tried to sit up, while the girl who'd served her tea earlier tended delicately to the wounds the youngest Tendo had gotten during Genkai's initiation training.
"Don't force yourself." The girl said softly placing a gentle hand upon the back of Akane's palm. "It'll only get worse if you do. Genkai-sama isn't like any normal martial arts or spirit trainer. She's really a little hard on her students."
"Oh wow! To think after rehearsing basic katas for three hours and then fighting – correction getting my ass royally whipped by – her for five straight hours, I didn't realise she's a little tough on her students." Akane said sarcastically while the girl, unable to help herself, started giggling.
"So who exactly are you? You don't seem to be her student. And you're definitely not related to her." Akane asked. The girl sighed a bit and looked directly into Akane's brown eyes, with her own crimson ones. She'd never seen anyone with that eye colour before but somehow, after seeing this girl she couldn't imagine her without them. For some reason the crimson eyes suited this girl a lot. It seemed to radiate unsurpassed warmth like the rest of the girl and created a perfect clash with her frozen ice maiden looks. Like the beautiful subtle product of when you mixed fire and ice together.
"My story isn't a fairytale, not even remotely close to it, just like my life." The girl said softly looking down.
"I understand. I truly do." Akane replied meaning the words, with a sense of maturity she had rarely felt. Maybe it was because she had dealt with so much of craziness in her life as well after meeting Ranma. So she knew what it felt like to be lonely, even when surrounded by many earnest sincere well-wishers. And she had a feeling that the girl she was talking to, often felt the same way.
"My story and my life is no different. Maybe you've dealt with things different from me, but the emotion behind it, is and will always be the same. So maybe you can tell me your story, and I can tell you mine. And maybe we can both have a good laugh at some of the more ridiculous things in our past when we're done. How about it?" Akane asked bluntly, and the girl looked up wide-eyed, understanding the unspoken emotion behind the words.
"'Sides it's not like I have anything else to do, till my body starts responding properly, unless you have work…" Akane trailed off and the girl shook her head.
"I'm Akane Tendo by the way, in case you didn't hear Genkai say it earlier. Clumsy, violent, tomboyish somewhat martial-artist." Akane said gingerly holding her hand out.
"I'm a youkai. Koorime to be precise. I'm really unsure if I do have a surname, so I only go by my first name Yukina. And believe me when I say it, I would love to be like you, instead of me." The girl said gently accepting Akane's weak hand in a firm shake.
"Come of it. Everyone is different in their own way, though at the end of it we're all really the same. That's what makes everyone so unique." Akane said momentarily realising what it felt like to be in Kasumi's shoes. "Well then Yukina I believe you have a non-fairytale to tell me?" Akane asked and Yukina nodded before sitting beside Akane on the bed and beginning her tale.
It was well past two hours, since they began chatting that Genkai finally interrupted them, entering the healing room. By the time Genkai had come the two girls had already finished swapping their life stories complete with the drama, angst, hilarity, craziness, and everything else, becoming fast friends in the process, and were currently joking with each other.
"Akane I think it would be better if you stay here the night. It's quite late and you've still not recovered from training. I don't want Asuka coming and haunting me, so you're not going home in this condition. Also if you stay over we'll be able to get a head start tomorrow. It's Sunday anyway so you won't have to worry about school." Genkai said.
"Hai sensei! Would you mind if I call home and tell Kasumi then?" Akane asked. Genkai nodded and tossed Akane a cell phone at which Akane had to stop herself from raising her eyebrows in disbelief. After meeting Ranma and the others she always thought that maybe all martial artists were… well… technologically ignorant, because of all their methods. Ranma was a dunce when it came to gadgets. Ryouga hadn't ever heard of a GPRS palmtop map, which was something the boy really needed since he always kept getting lost. Shampoo, Cologne, and Mousse had never ever even heard of a computer. Hell Kasumi had to teach their dad how to operate a cordless phone, when they got one!
So she was thoroughly shaken to find out that there in fact did exist martial-artists who were up-to-date on the scientific and modern world, much less using technology. Especially someone like Genkai, who she thought would be as gadget ignorant as the other martial artists she'd ever met.
Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, she dialled her residence and waited for someone to pick up silently praying it would be Kasumi, since her older sister was the only one who had an idea of what was going on. After five rings someone finally picked the phone and said, "Hello. Tendo dojo and residence."
"Ne-chan, it's me Akane!" Akane said delighted at the fact Kasumi answered the phone.
"Akane, is everything all right? You still haven't come home, and the others are worried about you." Kasumi said on the other end of the call.
"I'm fine ne-chan. Just a bit tried. Anyway Genkai-sensei has asked me to stay for the night since it's late and so that she'll be able to start training early. I'll be here till tomorrow evening. Could you cover for me?" Akane asked.
Then in a slightly louder voice Akane heard Kasumi reply, "Oh I see, so your friend's granny asked you to stay at her house for the night, to help care fore her since she's fallen ill? And you'll be back tomorrow evening? Well all right I'll tell daddy and the others. Just take care of yourself, all right Akane? And I hope your friend's granny recovers soon as well."
Akane smirked. She'd always imagined her eldest sister to be the perfect angel and here Kasumi was, coming up with the perfect and most believable excuse/lie when Akane had expected Kasumi to ask what story she should tell the others. The excuse was so flawless, that even her own family couldn't say anything against it, since they'd all look like heartless people if they protested. "Thanks ne-chan." Akane said as she tried to hold in all her amazement.
"Well then I guess I'll see you tomorrow Akane. Good night and take care." Kasumi said.
"Same to you sis." Akane replied ending the call smiling.
"Well since you're staying, I suggest you take a nice long hot herbal bath before coming down for dinner. It helps relax the body. And after dinner I can start you on meditation techniques, since we have more time. It'll save us time tomorrow." Genkai said.
Akane nodded, and with Yukina's help began to head to the bathroom, with Yukina explaining to Akane about the herbal bath Genkai had been talking about.
On the other end of the call, in the Tendo dojo pandemonium erupted, on hearing Kasumi's phone conversation. Though Kasumi – and Nabiki to add – knew pandemonium would happen anyway. Whether Akane was in the house or not.
"My daughter isn't coming home! She's run away!" Soun Tendo started crying and wailing away and exaggerating as he was prone to do. Happosai was crying because he wouldn't get to well… put it simply do perverted stuff with Akane. Ranma hit him on the head saying that Akane wouldn't want to do anything with the old kook in the first place. While Genma Saotome, in panda form, smacked Ranma upside the head, with his signboard on which was written on, in bold capitals 'THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT BOY!' to which Ranma protested.
Nabiki sighed on seeing the chaos. Why do I have to deal with this? I hope this id just a bad dream. She thought.
And when Shampoo, Ukyo, and Kodachi all appeared with dinner that they made especially for Ranma, each trying to feed him their own dinner, while in the process ruining the dinner Kasumi made for the entire family all Nabiki could do was stare, while her father continued to wail like a five year old.
Please let me find out I'm adopted! I beg you Kami! I'll give you all the money you want! Just please let me be adopted! Nabiki mentally screamt up to the heavens.
Unfortunately – as Nabiki realised later on – that no matter how she hoped and prayed that this turned out to be a bad dream or to be adopted it would never be. She minutely wondered how her younger sister hadn't gone completely insane dealing with the brunt of all this.
Meanwhile Akane who was now relaxing in the hot herbal bath sighed in pleasure as she rested her head against the towel placed on the bank of the bath.
"Genkai sure likes luxury, even though she may give off this military warrior Spartan attitude. Who would've guessed it?" Akane mumbled to herself looking around the bathroom. It had an old world feel to it, with the wood patterned tiling on the floor and walls. The scent of forest was everywhere And the sunk-in pool bath was lavishly splendid according to Akane. If she closed her eyes Akane felt that she would forget that she was actually in a bathroom instead of some nice hot-spring resort.
Letting out another sigh of contentment she lazily reached for the washcloth and herbal mint body-wash gel and forest scented shampoo Yukina had kept for her to use before beginning to wash herself. No matter how much she wanted to, she couldn't stay in the bath forever. She have to get out soon, Genkai was waiting to take a bath as well.
Ten minutes later she was smiling contently as she got out of the bath, bath-robe wrapped firmly around her, she stretched lazily, humming a random melodious tune to herself.
"OW!" she yelled as she felt a fist smack her head hard. Turning around she saw Genkai glaring up at her. "What was that for?" she asked.
"Quit slacking and get changed! And eat your dinner fast! I want to get you started on meditation as quickly as I can. And from now on whenever you're staying over, finish your bath with a maximum of half an hour. Don't take an hour extra like you did today!" Genkai scolded and Akane gulped. She hadn't realised she'd taken an hour and a half to have her bath.
"Sorry." She murmured.
"You better be." Grumbled Genkai as she walked in the direction of the bathroom, while Yukina suddenly popped up behind Akane and said, "Don't worry. Genkai doesn't really mind, and if she does don't pay attention to her. She'll probably take longer than you in the bath."
"Really?" Akane asked, and Yukina nodded the affirmative.
"Though considering today she's trying to keep to a schedule she'll cut her bath to quarter of the time. So it's a good thing that you took long in the bath. Maybe you could install some good habits in her as well." Yukina said, and both girls started giggling.
Just as Yukina had said Genkai had taken a long time in the bath. Or to be more precise an hour, and both Yukina, and Akane had to stop themselves giggling at Genkai's hypocrisy.
Dinner had been a rather chatty affair, with both Yukina, and Akane chatting animatedly about anything and everything. Music, movies, food, clothes, boys, books. Anything their minds could come up with. Both girls seemed extremely happy in each other's presence, and quite comfortable with each other, and Genkai took quick notice of it, hiding her smirk behind the glass of water she was drinking.
Just like Asuka, meets and befriends a demon in half a day. Genkai thought glancing over at the blue haired girl talking to the koorime in her care. Then her mind wandered to more serious topics, like the root of the 'ki-problem' as she'd named it and it's enormity which she'd discovered while practising with Akane. The girl had definitely inherited the family condition passed down through generations from her mother, just like Asuka had. And that was not a good thing since Akane's ki had been allowed to grow uncontained without training her from the time she was one. And it had begun to show.
During their training Genkai had noticed Akane's ki flaring whenever her emotions went a bit over normal, changing with her changing emotions. A slight lurch in Akane's emotions- no matter how infinitesimally small – would cause her ki to violently start flaring up. The only time when there was no ki flare was when the training had first started and Akane was completely calm. But as the training wore one, with Akane getting lightly tired and drained her ki began to slowly flare up. And Genkai knew that no normal person could keep that level of stamina, and calm throughout.
Another thing Genkai noticed was that the Spirit Shackles that Akane had on were already threatening to dissolve under the pressure of holding Akane's ki in check after such a long period of time. She'd initially thought that the Shackles had not been put on expertly, but during training she was forced to take back that theory on realising that Asuka had indeed put the Shackles on perfectly, but they were no match for Akane's growing ki.
She'd minutely wondered whether putting a Spirit Cloak on Akane would be any more beneficial but the idea was scrapped as soon as it came, since Genkai knew that the Spirit Cloak would only hold in and try to compress the ki like the Shackles. And for someone like Akane they needed to find a way to control their ki on their own. The Cloak might just become another excuse not to train and another way to deny the enormity of the problem at hand.
But then, Genkai had no idea on what to do. True Akane, like her mother, was a very fast learner. She was gifted with the ability to pick up things at a record setting pace once set in a comfy surrounding in the appropriate frame of mind. Although dealing with the stubbornness and head strong ideals was a completely different thing. It was the only thing holding the girl back from becoming a martial-artist to be reckoned with, along with her inability to concentrate, inability to control her emotions, and lack of grace.
That's why she was so keen on teaching Akane the art of meditation. If Akane picked it up quickly and effectively managed to put it to use during her training then it might up their odds against Akane's growing ki.
But even then if Akane did master the art of perfect meditation, there was no way she would be able to master martial arts to Genkai's level. Akane did have quite a lot of untapped potentials of raw skill, and the lightning quick ability to create plans on her feet while fighting, but her experience would hold her down. She needed to have enough battle experience in martial arts to progress, if she was to have any chance at controlling her ki. And that was not possible in a short time.
Genkai needed more time, she only wished she knew how.
"Genkai-sensei? I'm finished with my dinner. Should we start with the meditation?" Akane's voice broke into her thoughts, and Genkai gruffly nodded getting up and beckoning for the girl to follow her.
Genkai knew she was right in thinking that Akane had complete lack of concentration. The girl's mind kept drifting off after every fifteen seconds, and it was thoroughly annoying.
"That's it!" Genkai growled after an hour of failed training. "Since the normal method is getting us nowhere, I think we'll have to try another method. All right now lets start, and I swear you'll regret it if you don't pay close attention." She said glaring at the girl.
Akane gulped hard. "Sorry I'm trying my best." She said, but Genkai didn't hear it.
"Now start by closing you eyes. Slowly begin concentrating on your breathing. Forget about everything else. Nothing else in this world exists besides you breathing in and out." Genkai said her rough voice dropping to a low soothing tone, and Akane did exactly as she was told.
Soon just like Genkai wanted Akane seemed blissfully unaware of anything besides her own breathing and Genkai allowed herself a small smile. Self subconscious hypnosis meditation. Always works when everything else fails. She thought triumphantly.
Soon, talking in the same soothing tone of voice like she was before, she began to slowly create scenarios for Akane to meditate on, and within half an hour they'd achieved whatever they hadn't been able to in the previous hour, if not more. An hour later Akane was successfully meditating by herself while Genkai occasionally making sure the girl's mind didn't wander tried to figure out how a way to teach Akane everything in a short span of time. She didn't know how long Akane had left before the Shackles would be of no use, and Akane's vital organs start to age.
There had to be a way that Genkai could buy this young girl enough time to be able to fight for her own life, survive and perhaps one day take her place among the ranks of many great Spirit Masters of which she had the potential to become.
Just then the clock struck eleven and the noise brought Genkai out of her thoughts. She turned to Akane to see that the girl was still deep in her meditation. Silently wondering whether she'd dozed off, she called softly to the girl. If the girl was indeed asleep, she would not answer. If the girl was meditating, well then Genkai would be proud.
"Hai Genkai-sama? What's the matter?" Akane asked softly.
"It's getting late, and we need to start early tomorrow morning. Let's call it a day." Genkai said and Akane nodded before they both got up and headed to their respective bedrooms. Akane knowing where she would be sleeping since Yukina had shown her the room earlier. Smiling she flopped down on the bed. The day had been exhausting with everything she had been put through, but it had been strangely fulfilling. She guessed it was the effects of meditation. Stretching in a feline manner she made herself cosy in the bed before loosing her consciousness to the word of dreams, deep asleep.
Genkai on the other hand, had a less peaceful night, with thoughts of her new student plaguing her. She hadn't told neither even unconsciously hint at the gravity of the issue. Akane's ki had already been spiralling completely out of control by the time the girl had come for help. To much time had already slipped by, and Genkai didn't know how much time Akane had left, though she knew it was not a lot.
How could she teach the girl even one fourth of everything with the limited time they had on their hands?
She needed time. Lots of time.
A/N: Well that's the second chapter. So how was it? Leave a note telling me.
