Misery Loves Company
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfiction
by Ryan Erik
Part One: The Unexpected
(2 of 2)
A single drop of coffee, the sole remains of someone's early morning pick-me-up, laid still in its over-turned, Styrofoam cup along the concrete sidewalks of Nerima. It rolled along, carried by the afternoon breeze. It continued on its path until a teenage girl crushed it underfoot. The wind picked up moments later, giving the morning a decidedly uncomfortable chill.
Pasted to the girl's thin knees, a modest blue skirt rippled like a flag in the wind, exposing her ankles to the bright morning sun. Had her long, brown hair had not been bound tightly in a bun behind her head, the breeze would have lifted it and scattered every entirely too neat brust stroke into a chaotic mess. Light reflected off her thin elfin features as she wrapped her arms around her waist in obvious discomfort from the cold weather, despite the extra layer underneath her sky blue blouse. Her brown eyes blinked once before she lifted her soft heeled shoes off the cup.
Bending over, the brunette picked up the destroyed container and dropped it into a nearby trash can. Her thoughts immediately shifted from her the vehement dislike of litter bugs back to her normally tranquil contemplation. Saving the world from pollution could wait yet another day, as it had centuries before her.
After quickening her pace in the last stretch of her trip, she arrived at her destination. Staring up at her family's name written in Kanji on the sign above the gates elicited a certain measure of comfort, as she walked toward them. Out of the wind, Reiko Tendou blew hot air into her palms and then massaged them until she reached the her grandfather's home. She was about to knock when she noticed her cousin, Eiji, currently homing in on her position like an out of heat seeking missile. She caught him mid-stride, lifting his small body up into a hug.
He wiggled and made little noises of struggle as she held him. With a giggle, she squeezed him one last time and placed him back on the ground.
"Hello, Eiji-chan. Is Mayako around?" she whispered to him, rubbing his head.
Nodding vigorously, the little boy answered, "She's in her room with my new best friend, Kimi-neetama!"
Kimi-neetama? The childish honorific notwithstanding, the boy was already enamored with the redhead. She blinked for a moment, and then excused the little boy.
"Thank you, honey," she replied, patting his head warmly. "Why don't you go play with your friends now. And don't give your momma any grief!"
"Yes, Rei-neetama!" he answered dutifully, giggling as he scampered off into a random direction. She shook her head in amusement before continuing on her track across the long brick path to the house.
"Wait for me!" a shrill voice cried out from behind her, causing her to spin on her heels. Mai Ono bound across the courtyard from the gate, holding her skirt down with one hand, and clasping the other to pushing her red blouse down to keep from sliding up. The sight of the girl, dressed improperly for both a run and the weather produced a chuckle from her older friend.
"I came – as fast – as I could," Mai managed to spit out between gasps.
"There was no need to rush, Mai-chan," Reiko told her friend calmly. Pointing to the immodest condition of her apparel, she told the girl, "You had time to at least dressed properly."
"But I..." the girl started to protest, "I was anxious to see Kenichi-kun's new friend again." Finally wearing her clothing properly, she caught her breath and awaited Reiko's move.
"Honestly," Reiko reprimanded. "You'd think that she was leaving for China today instead of next week."
"She's going to China?" Mai delightedly squealed, bouncing on her heels. "That's so cool. I wish I could take time off for that kinda stuff."
"Don't we all," the brunette replied, knocking the door to her grandfather's house.
"You've met her already?" Mai said, both awe and jealousy in her voice. "Lucky..."
She gently opened the door, taking her first steps in before motioning Mai to follow.
A strained shudder momentarily shook Kimiko's body as the icy cold water splashed across her face. Dabbing the face cloth to dry her wet skin, her eyes locked to her image, gazing back with a haunted stare. Those sapphire blue orbs set in the lightly tanned face, the beautifully feminine face; those were her eyes, and no magic would take them from her. With her teeth clenched almost painfully, she glared in return, as if to scare the image.
Things were not supposed to be like this. This should be her household; these children should be hers; and most of all, Akane was supposed to have been her wife. She had gone over the scenario within her head countless times, each time clearly recognizing the slim chances to regain the past, her only wish. And each time she held onto hope too tightly until it became the truth, until it became more than hope, more than a fantasy.
Of course, what goes up must come down, and in a gigantic downward spiral, her plans and hope plummeted into the dry earth. There could be no hope in the face of such opposition, the likes of which had overthrown dictators, dynasties and countries. No one could hope to fight time and win...no matter how hard one tried. Kimiko would keep trying, though. Some time, somewhere, there had to be someone calling her name, waiting for her safe return with open arms and an open heart, ready to love her for who she was and who she would be. No one would stop her from at least accomplishing that much, and she would win. She always won, in the end.
Accurately tossing the wash cloth into the hamper, Kimiko lightly slapped herself, regaining her mental poise. Nothing good would come of looking like the emotional wreck she had seemed to become in recent times, confidence evading her more often than not. Sliding the door to the outer bath open, she treaded through to the bathroom door and opened it, exiting.
Her first surprise upon entering Mayako's room was that the twins had finished setting up their own private theater, bean bag chairs and all; the second was that all but one bean bag was full, with total of five set out in a circle.
"Hello," she murmured hesitant about entering and imposing herself. The two seated not facing her turned in their chairs. The first, the young waitress from Ucchan's Mai Ono, affectionately smiled back. The second, a very shapely brunette, peered inquisitively in return.
"This is Kimiko Nishiyama," Mayako spoke, tearing their immediate attention from the redhead. "And this is Reiko Tendou, my cousin, and I believe you already know Mai." The latter was met with two nods. Pointing to the only empty chair between Kenichi and Reiko, she said, "You can take that seat, Kim."
Quietly padding across the floor to take her seat, Kimiko silently listened as the others continued their conversation.
"As I was saying before," Mayako began. "If Noriko and Makiko would stop whining about how unfair playing defense every time is, then we could get down to business and win games. They're usually too busy sulking to stop the ball."
"Well, I agree with you there, Maya-chan," Reiko replied with her very low, feminine voice. "But, it really isn't fair that they have to play it every time."
"But they aren't good for anything else," Mayako protested, crossing her arms under her breasts. "If they could run quicker, I'd gladly trade positions with them every now and again."
"Somehow, I doubt that, Maya," Mai quietly said, giggling at the twin's expense. "They'll stop whining when the season starts again. They did last year."
"Last year they weren't on the Varsity team, though," Mayako said. "We play to win, not to placate babies."
Drawing Kimiko's attention from their argument, she turned to face Kenichi after he tapped her shoulder once.
"You looked zoned out," he pointed out, leaning towards her. "They're just talking about the upcoming soccer season. All four of us were chosen to lead the Furinkan Varsity Soccer team, since we stomped all competition last year. You play soccer at all?"
"A bit in school," she answered slowly. "What position do you play?"
"Goalie," he replied, shrugging. "I'm not fast, but I'm good defending the net. It's not the most exciting thing, but Mayako bullied me into it. It makes her happy, so I'm okay with it."
"A man of many talents," she said with a bit of envy, exposing a bit more jealousy than she wished, but he did not seem to notice.
"So, did you do anything else in school? Sports, instrument, anything?"
Bashfully lowering her head, she replied, "Not really."
"I got it!" Mayako declared, breaking their conversation. With everyone's attention centered upon her, she continued, "Let's play truth or dare!"
Both Reiko and Mai replied positively, but Kenichi adamantly voice his opposition. "No way. That's just your excuse to get me into a dare to kiss someone or ask me something completely embarrassing. I'm not going to do it."
"Ah, come on, bro," she whined, pouting. "If you play, I promise that I won't make you kiss someone if you accept a dare. Please!" With three girls staring at him, he grudgingly gave in with a hesitant nod.
"You in, Kim?" Reiko asked while seeming to stare through her, into her soul. Kimiko nervously nodded, though she had no idea how the game was played. They converged their circle, drawing their bean bags closer to each other.
"Great," Mayako replied, grinning deviously. She turned to Mai on her left and asked, "Truth or dare?"
"Dare!" the part-time waitress answered vigorously.
"I dare you to..." she began, thinking deeply. A grin flashed upon her face as she ordered, "I dare you to kiss Kenichi!"
"Hey!" the startled boy exclaimed, glaring at his sister. "I thought you said you weren't going to make me kiss anyone!"
"I said I wouldn't make you kiss anyone, but I didn't say that I wouldn't make anyone kiss you!" she retorted smugly, sticking her tongue out at the boy. Smirking, met Kenichi's stare until he rolled his eyes and drooped his shoulders in defeat.
Kimiko watched quizzically as the other two of the three girls broke into giggles, while Mai pushed herself into a sitting position with her face burning bright crimson. Tentatively pitching herself forward, the girl crawled over to Kenichi, his expressions unreadable as he indifferently awaited her kiss. Mai leaned over him, meekly pecking his lips with hers and quickly withdrawing back to her chair. Kimiko observed Mai as she demurely stared at Kenichi, a bit of disappointment surfacing before she turned to face Reiko on her left.
"Truth or dare?" she asked the brunette weakly.
"Dare," Reiko replied evenly, her manner mimicking a serious poker player's.
"I dare you to kiss Mayako!" Mai ordered her, grinning with glee. "For at least five seconds on her lips!"
"Muhaha!" Kenichi abruptly laughed, nearly choking. "Revenge is sweet, isn't it, sis?"
"Yack it up," Mayako replied, frowning. "Get this over with, Rei-chan." Reiko obliged her by crawling to the twin. With her head tilted slightly, she leaned over her muttering cousin and wrapped her arms around her in a tight embrace, kissing the startled girl. "Mmph!" Falling over backwards, Mayako pulled Reiko with her.
"Ahaha!" Kenichi barked out, falling onto his side as the two girls disentangled themselves from each other. "Oh man, I wish I had a recorder with me! That was classic!"
"Shut up," Mayako snapped at her brother, wiping her mouth with her sleeve. "That was gross."
"You bit my tongue," Reiko complained as she scooted back to her chair, causing Kenichi to renew his laughter tenfold. Mai, no longer able to hold back, burst into uncontrollable giggles, and she stuffed her head between her legs to hide it. The innocent smile on Reiko's face did not change for a moment.
"Well," Mayako began piously. "Only you two are laughing so it couldn't have been that funny."
"My turn to ask," Reiko interrupted, waiting until she had everyone's attention. Turning to the silent redhead, she asked, "Truth or dare, Kimiko?"
Realizing that she still stared with shock, mouth agape, Kimiko tried to regain her focus. "I'm still tripping over Mai's dare," she told them, eliciting a few bubbled giggles. "I'll go with a truth." As Reiko began to consider her question, Kimiko silently wished to take back her words. She figured that being forced to kiss someone could not be any worse than being bound to tell something excessively embarrassing, or potentially hazardous, but it was a little late to change.
"Tell us about your first kiss," the brunette said calmly, resting her head in her hands. "And don't leave out a single juicy detail." Her mouth curved in a smile as she placidly awaited Kimiko's answer.
The knot in her gut twisted, leaving her to nervously prepare her answer. Pulling her precarious, at best, memories together in some semblance of order. After thoroughly grilling her brain, her eyes lit up as she recalled the moment of her first kiss. The next moment, she felt ready to throw up; it had been with Mikado Sanzanin.
"It really wasn't much to talk about," she replied in a poor attempt to avoid the question.
"Come on, Kim," Mayako whined, forming her mouth in a small pout. "Don't leave us high and dry!"
"We won't tell anyone, Kimiko," Mai promised, reassuring her with an honest smile.
"All right," she unwillingly replied, sighing into her folded arms. "I was ice skating with a really good friend and she was showing me how, because I was terrible at that time. She kinda got side tracked and let go of me, and I lost my balance and started sliding out of control towards the barrier of the rink. I was ready to smack into it, when this guy swept me off my feet, literally."
"Oh," Reiko whispered delightedly, dreamily staring at the redhead. "That's so romantic. Did he kiss you right there?"
"Nah," Kimiko answered, still displeased with herself for allowing the playboy to kiss her. She still vividly remembered the shock as their lips touched and the repulsion, thereafter. "After he helped me regain my balance, he did some maneuvers with his partner." Her eyes darted around the group, noting their differing expressions. Kenichi appeared thoughtful with his brows slanted and his lips pursed, almost as if conflicted with a choice. Mai had laid herself out on her stomach, resting her upper body on the bean bag, staring at the wall with a silly expression on her face. Reiko still sat cross-legged, smiling serenely at her. "So the jerk comes back after he's done showing off, picks me up - I was losing my balance again - and kisses me while I'm not ready."
"Was he cute?" Mayako asked bluntly.
"He was one of those pretty boys," Kimiko said, fighting her growing urge to scream in frustration. "You know, the type with dozens of girlfriends."
"At least he was cute," the Mai said coyly.
"If I was there, I would have pounded him for you," Kenichi told her sincerely.
"I can take care of myself, Kenichi-kun," she curtly replied. "In fact, afterward, I challenged him and won. They had to carry him out in a stretcher."
Mayako grinned ominously, nodding her head in respect to the explosive and charming redheaded girl. Kimiko would definitely make a great friend, sharing the same ideals as she did. With that and Kenichi's sincere interest in her, it was truly a shame that she would be leaving within the week. Giggling as Kimiko finished her description of her first kiss, Mayako looked over to her love sick brother, studying him intently. His unfeigned interest and genuine concern for the redhead struck her as strange, but pleasantly so.
The emotional angst Kimiko had expressed while narrating her story touched Mayako. From her insistence of swearing lack of interest in the young man, Mayako realized that for her to recall such an event in front of near strangers must have been harder than anyone else knew. In every girl's life, the first kiss is a special event and for it to be wasted on a boy with no class, such as the one she described, must have hurt.
"It's Kenichi-chan's turn," Reiko reminded the group, gently nudging Kimiko. "You get to ask."
Turning to the suddenly distraught teenage boy, Kimiko grinned and asked him, "Truth or dare?"
Kenichi thoughtfully returned her gaze, straightening his posture. His wide brown eyes blinked once before he answered, "Dare."
"Oh, so bold," Mayako teased but failed to receive any response. She knew he meant business. "I can lend you some suggestions, if you need, Kimikio-chan."
"No, thank you, Maya," Kimiko replied evenly, smiling. "I thought of something." Addressing the male twin, she stated, "I dare you to wear Mayako's nightgown for the rest of the evening and to sleep. You can change in the morning."
The other three girls all erupted into laughter, leaving Kenichi to stare in shock.
"Wear her night gown? All night?" he asked with dread. "That's no fair." He shook his head with disdain, folding his arms around his sides in defiance. "No way."
"But Kenichi," Mayako insisted, readying her arsenal of taunts. "If you're not man enough to wear a nightgown, just say so and Kimiko can think of another for you to do." Hoping she had pressed the right buttons, she watched his shock turn to mild anger.
"What does wearing a nightgown have to do with being a man?" he demanded.
"If you can't do something simple like that," she said, "Then you can't be considered very manly, now can you?"
"Yeah, whatever," he replied caustically, rolling his eyes. His lips curved into a slight frown and his brows arched with frustration. "I'm still not gonna do it."
Speaking as Mayako opened her mouth in preparation for a retort, Kimiko asked, "How about just until you go to bed?" Her sultry, provocative voice, echoing with amusement while not implying any mocking, caused Mayako to turn to her face the girl with new respect. Kenichi stopped sulking as he turned to her also with his lips parted slightly and the tension from his face disintegrated. He was barely able to nod his assent.
"Great," Mayako piped, quickly standing and rushing to her dresser. "I have just the thing! It'll look so cute on you, Kenichi-chan." Sliding open the bottom drawer of her dresser, she procured a garment that she had refused to wear but stashed it away to not hurt her Aunt Kasumi's feelings. Bright pink down to the lacy trim, the silk nightgown was probably very comfortable, but the animals colored in a bright, hideous yellow completely ruined the whole item. Unfolding the horribly cute nightgown, she tossed it to her brother. It did not help that she hated the color pink. "There."
"Oh man," the horrified young man whispered. "You know, I get to ask you next, Mayako. I thought of something really nice that you can tell us if you say truth and something horrible if you say dare. Either way, you will pay for this one."
"Where'd you get that from, Maya?" Mai asked curiously. "That thing is just plain ugly!"
"Probably my mom," Reiko answered, biting her lip. "She thinks all girls under the age of eighteen like lacy stuff with plenty of animals and bright colors. I bet it's comfortable though, Kenichi-kun."
"Like that makes it okay," he replied, holding the offending object in front of him. "Oh well, a dare's a dare." Lifting his shirt from its bottom, he quickly pulled it over his head and tossed it aside. "Turn around; this isn't a peep show." Politely turning away, Mayako and the three girls shared snickers as Kenichi shifted into his new apparel behind them.
"Can we look?" Mai asked impatiently.
"Okay," Kenichi sighed, prompting all four girls to turn.
Utterly and ridiculously hilarious were the only words Mayako could use to describe her. The pink nightgown fit his muscular body snugly, but still completely covered him. The sleeves formed to his arms, ending a bit short of his wrists. The length of the gown stretched down to his knees, exposing the bottom of his pants. The humiliation on his face quickly shifted into a glare meant for the entire group of laughing girls.
"It does look cute on you, but make sure to return it after tonight," she teased, sticking her tongue out at the boy. "I know how you like to borrow my dresses for lengthy periods of time."
"Funny," the humiliated youth replied, folding his arms at his chest. "Truth or dare, Mayako."
Humming with consideration, she rested her chin in her right hand, glancing between the three girls and Kenichi. She wondered what devious scheme her brother had cooked up in that saintly brain of his. The worst dare she had ever had to perform was to strip in front of a large group of their friends. Unfortunately for Kenichi, it backfired miserably when she started to remove clothing extremely close to him, effectively embarrassing him more than it had her, especially since he was the only boy on the soccer team, and the only boy in that group. It also gave her the chance to dance in front of people nude for the first time. Reflecting on it again, she realized that she had actually enjoyed it, to some extent.
On the other hand, he did pretty much know all of her secrets, and having to tell those tidbits of information in front of three people whose ears it should not reach would not be good. Also, considering the revenge he wanted for her at this moment, she might be forced to reveal something more embarrassing than she could know. He would dare her to the best of his ability, but it probably would not be too evil, or so she hoped.
"Dare."
His lips twisted into a satisfied grin upon the pronunciation of her fate. He sucked in a deep breath in preparation for his dare. "I dare you, for the entire time I have to wear this ridiculous nightgown, to serve us all whatever we want, when we want it, and you have to act like a perfect servant the whole time. As soon as you snap at one of us, or don't do what you're supposed to, I get to take this thing off. Deal?"
Damn, and she had him cornered for a fool in times requiring cunning. "Oh, all right." What he neglected to realize was that she was willing to play his game, for the entire night.
"How about we go one more round just asking truths?" Mai offered, smiling at them. "You can ask me something first, Mayako."
Her offer was simply too much temptation to resist. "You got it, sister." She grinned while thinking up an appropriate revenge for the last dare, even though she almost deserved it for making the poor girl kiss her sister. The simpler the question was, the better. "Who do you like now?" Mayako knew well enough that she had a crush on Kenichi, but the girl would never admit it. Kenichi treated Mai like a little sister whenever they were together, and there was little chance of getting him to change his mind now since he obviously fell for Kimiko. Lord knows, she tried many times in the past.
Mai fell silent, her chin locked but she appeared to be ready for the question. "He's a year older than me and goes to Furinken." Her eyes looked everywhere, but never once fell on Kenichi. "I've talked with him a lot; he comes to Ucchan's often. Unfortunately, he doesn't think of me like that, and he likes this new girl." Her solemn tone reflected the pain she felt, and everyone else could feel it too. She opened her mouth to say more, but Reiko interjected.
"You don't have to say anymore, honey," the considerate brunette told Mai, resting a hand on her shoulder.
"I'm sure you'll find someone else, Mai-chan," Kenichi reassured, smiling warmly at her. He continued. "And he'll see you for the bright, intelligent young girl you are. You'll see." Mayako shook her head, remarking on how blind that boy could be sometimes. She looked at Mai again; the girl smiled shyly at her brother.
"I guess its my turn to ask a question, then," Mai whispered unsteadily. She turned to Reiko. "Give me a second to think."
Mayako looked over at Kimiko who still sat quietly who silently kept her thoughts to herself. She had been acting similarly through out the night besides when they spoke to her directly. The poor girl probably felt out of place. She turned back to look at Mai whose mouth twisted in consideration.
"Oh, I can't think of anything. Any suggestions?" Mai predictably looked at her for help, causing Mayako to roll her eyes. "Well, I'd ask the same thing, but that's not very original."
"Who needs originality?" Mayako smartly replied, smiling wryly.
"How about I tell you all about my last kiss?" Reiko offered bluntly. The smile on her face never shifted for a moment.
Mayako considered that thoughtfully. Reiko's love life was always considered non-existent at best, and considering she offered to tell about her last kiss required a first, second and everything in between. Perplexing was not quite the word she was looking for.
"Sure," Mai said smiling. Reiko was entirely too infectious with that happiness of hers.
"Well," the brunette began, looking past them in thought. The smile from her face slowly faded and she appeared to be considering her answer thoroughly. "Last week, when the Akinawas were in town, Shoichi asked me out on a date. I told him yes, and the next day we went and had lunch in the park. Well, I spilled a little juice on my lip, and instead of pointing it out, he licked it off." By the time she told her story that far, she had everyone's complete attention. Mayako was still stunned about Shoichi Asakawa, of all people, asking her cousin out on a date. Granted he was handsome, that young man seemed disinterested in women all together, preferring the call of the family business to the company of a female. Reiko continued. "It caught me off guard at first, but when I looked into his eyes, I knew he felt the same about me as I felt for him. That's when we kissed." She paused for a second, but the smile on her face was already firmly in place by the time she spoke again. "I believe it's your turn, Kimiko."
"Oh, um, what do you want to know?" the redhead asked, her silence broken. Mayako glanced over at her. The girl appeared to be more comfortable in their presence than she had at first.
Mai whispered something in Reiko's ear that Mayako failed to overhear and Reiko nodded, her demeanor changing subtly. Mayako frowned, hating to not know what was going on.
"Where'd you learn the Anything-Goes style of Martial Arts? And tell us a little about your martial arts past." Mai appeared just as Reiko sounded, and Mayako was completely baffled by the question. How on earth would either of them know about Kimiko's experience in Martial arts was questionable, but the fact that they figured Kimiko knew the Anything-Goes School was stranger. Mayako turn to watch the redhead who appeared to be just as startled by the question as she herself was.
Kimiko took a deep breath, grasping her knees with her arms. "What part do you want to hear? There's lots of it." The tone of her voice sounded very defensive, and Mayako wondered if they had pried somewhere they should not have.
"Well, when you fought Shoji and his cronies today, your style was undeniably similar to the Anything-Goes style," Mai explained. "It took me a bit after our lunch to piece it together. So, how'd you learn to fight like that? I don't remember any masters of the Anything-Goes School crossing the Pacific."
A couple seconds of silence passed before Kimiko answered. "My father wasn't a master, but he was an adequate teacher. My brother is a much competent teacher than him, and I guess I'm a decent student. Between the two of them, I learned quite a bit. I also picked up a few moves here and there from various masters of different styles. I guess my brother and father knew some Anything-Goes."
Something about her explanation nagged at Mayako, but she disregarded it. Somehow, both she and her brother had not picked out any signs of Anything-Goes from her fighting style. It did not really matter, though. She realized just who Kimiko had made enemies with and opened her eyes wide. "You took on Shoji and his friends?"
"She didn't only take them on," Mai began. "But she beat the hell out of all of them. She moped the floor with Michio, Masami and Seiko. They didn't stand a chance."
"Ryosei helped," Kimiko informed them modestly.
"About enough not to get himself killed," Mai responded, smiling. "He barely beat Shoji after Kimiko distracted him some. Your father must have been an incredible martial artist."
"Who is your father?" Kenichi asked, inquiring further and leaning forward to put himself closer to the redhead..
"My adopted father was Nobukazu Nishiyama. He died little over a year ago." Kimiko's blue eyes could not have been any colder. They had definitely tread where they should not have.
"I'm sorry," Kenichi apologized, but Kimiko waved him off.
"I remember Nobukazu-san," Reiko said slowly, hanging her head low. "He was very kind, and I feel your loss, Kimiko." Mayako and Mai nodded with her statement. "I don't remember seeing you at his funeral." Mayako did not either, but she almost winced when Reiko said it.
The look on Kimiko's face was all that was needed in reply. She looked pale and dazed, staring at nothing. "I was unavailable." Her words sounded empty, but they reminded her of what Kimiko had told them yesterday. She had stated that she was recovering from an accident, though she did not further explain - probably the same accident that her step-father perished in.
"Let's move on," Mayako offered, and everyone agreed. Kimiko did not appear to be ready to ask anyone anything, so Mayako took the chance to ask her brother first. "So, Kenichi, tell the truth now." She rubbed her hands together, grinning at him. "What really did happen between you and Ayame that night a couple months ago?" His eyes widened slightly and he swallowed. "No escaping the question this time, brother."
Grimacing, he whispered, "What Ayame would we be talking about?"
"The only one we know, silly! Ayame Asakawa, of course." As Mayako finished, she noticed his face had already began taking a suspicious shade of red, and she prepared for him to dodge the question. "We're waiting."
"Nothing serious," he replied quietly, obviously lying.
"Of course, Kenichi," Reiko said, glaring at him. "That's why you returned with lipstick all over your face. Silly me." Mayako nodded and looked to Mai who looked like she did not want to be here at the moment. Kimiko appeared thoughtful, though she still appeared to be reeling from the earlier questioning.
"Oh, all right," he responded in a whispered sigh. "You better not tell anyone. And like I said, it really wasn't that serious." Scratching the back of his hand, he took a deep breath. "Well, after we set down camp Ayame said she had something to tell me after dinner. When we finished eating, she dragged me a few meters away from the camp, and we talked for a few minutes. I can't tell you what she said, because I promised that I wouldn't, but you can probably guess." His mood seemed to be severely drowned from its original vitality. "We started kissing, but it just didn't feel right to me. When I told her that, she tried to reassure me, but I sort of panicked and went back to camp, forgetting about the lipstick on my face." He looked up at them, apparently gauging each person's reactions. Mayako just stared at him incredulously. "So, now I told you. Don't tell anyone else."
"I had no idea Ayame had a thing for you," Reiko stated slowly, almost thoughtfully, rather than her usual cheerfulness. "You are a true heart-breaker, Kenichi Tendou. I wonder what the tally is now?"
"That really isn't fair, Rei-chan," Mai blurted in Kenichi's defense. "It's not like he asked for anyone to come after him."
Reiko looked her friend squarely in the eyes, dead calm. "He did nothing to discourage any of them until they figured he had similar feelings for them, though."
With her mind frantically piecing all the strangeness together, Mayako looked over to Kimiko. Her blue eyes seemed trained on Kenichi, but they did not appear jealous, angry or even sad, just thoughtful and even a bit interested, which was much different from her demeanor minutes ago. She still sat in silence, though, and Mayako could think of little to help the girl out of her shell. She looked at her brother once more, but he held his eyes shut with his palms, the grimace still present on his face.
"There's nothing I can do about it now," he whispered to the arguing girls. "Let's move on again, please?" He removed his hands from his face and peered over to Mayako. "Just say something embarrassing; I don't feel like thinking right now."
Mayako grinned in her victory, thinking about something she could tell them. After all, they had revealed some very juicy tidbits of themselves. Was it not only fair to share one of hers?
"Last time I've been out with a guy was two years ago," she admitted, sticking her tongue out at her brother. "Good enough?" The dry look on his face definitely replied for him in the negative. "Oh, okay, I guess that wasn't embarrassing enough for you? Well, last soccer season, when I made the winning score at our last game, before I kicked the ball, the elastic on my shorts snapped causing them to fall around my ankles. I stumbled and fell forward, accidentally colliding with the ball and knocking it in." Everyone in the room laughed, excluding the story teller. "No one even seemed to notice when the hoisted me in the air. I did manage to pull my shorts up though."
"No way," Kenichi replied after he caught his breath.
"I remember that!" Mai nearly yelled, though she still giggled. "It's true Kenichi-kun. I kicked her the pass and watched her fall into line with the ball perfectly. I almost laughed then, but I was too caught up in winning."
"I have to admit, that was a good story," Kimiko told her. "I think I can match it, but I don't think I'd want to." Looking at the clock above Mayako's dresser, Kimiko said, "It's almost six now."
"Why don't we watch a movie now?" Reiko asked with her usual tranquillity. "It will be getting late soon, so when your mom brings home some food, we can eat it while watching. I'm sure she wouldn't mind."
"Good idea, Rei," Kenichi agreed, smiling sinuously at his sister. "Why don't you go and tell mom, sis? I'm sure you don't mind."
Rolling her eyes at his remark, Mayako slowly pushed herself off the floor and stood. Insolently resting her hands on her hips, she peered down at her comically dressed brother. "Of course, I don't mind, little brother. I'll go right away." If he thought he had won this match, he was so wrong.
The distinguished men eagerly entered the small establishment, immediately scanning their surroundings. A thick wave of stuffy air washed over them as they walked in. Dim lamplight lit the room from side to side, casting shadows across the wood tiled floor. The bar lay on the far side of room directly across from them with more than a dozen tables each with four chairs in between. Only a few patrons sat on the stools at the bar due to the time of day and not a soul occupied a single table. No more than twenty years of age, a young woman, dressed very scantily in a short light yellow skirt and a white blouse, happily approached the two men, regarding their apparel with a raised eyebrow.
"Please have a seat gentlemen," she welcomed in a warm voice, handing them menus. "I'll be right with you."
"There will be another joining us," the taller of the two men with long graying black hair informed, smiling affectionately.
"Of course," she replied, giving him another menu. "Can I get you some water to start with?"
"Okay," the shorter man, a kerchief covering his bald head, answered. "Thank you, miss."
The waitress nodded, weaving through the tables towards the bar.
"So, Saotome," Soun said as he pulled up a chair at a table against the right wall. "This weekend may prove to be most interesting." Wearily sitting himself, he smiled at his friend.
"Indeed, Tendou," Genma replied, pulling up a chair and sitting also. "This girl that you said looks like my son. Are you sure that you saw her right? I mean, it has been what, eighteen years since we've last seen or heard from him?"
"I did friend," Soun answered as he opened his menu to the lunch section. "Akane saw her this morning before I departed from the house. You should have seen her face. It looked like she had seen a ghost, and I'm not so sure that she didn't."
Humming in thought, Genma weakly pried apart his menu but he did not look inside. "Could it be his daughter or the boy himself in his cursed form? Or maybe his offspring bare the sex changing curse as well?"
"I believe that it is his daughter," Soun whispered, searching the text for an appetizing item. "Shampoo's, Mousse's and your children were not cursed in birth, and I doubt that his children have either."
Nodding vigorously, Genma agreed. "Good thinking, Tendou. I myself am not thinking quite straight this morning. To think that there is a chance to see my son, or his daughter. Oh, Tendou, I have missed the boy so."
Pausing for a moment, Soun reflected over the matter. "As have I, Saotome. As have I. It simply has not been the same without him." Turning his head towards the entrance of the restaurant, he solemnly took a deep breath. "You should have seen the girl fight though, Saotome. I only witnessed but a part of her spar with my grandchildren, and I must say that she is one of the most gifted fighters that I have ever seen since your son."
Genma drew within himself as the waitress arrived and left behind two glasses of water, but neither of the two noticed her. His hunger for food had long since past, but his need for his son replaced it, that burning ache to see how Ranma turned out. His eyes threatened to fill with tears, but he pushed them aside. "I'm glad he did not slack in the training of his children."
Soun nodded in agreement, having found a suitable item to order. He folded the menu up and placed it at the side of the table. "You are not angry at the boy for leaving so brashly? If he were to show his face, that is."
Genma looked up at his friend, considering for a moment. "No, Tendou." He drooped his head sorrowfully, allowing a single tear to slide down his rough cheeks. "How could I be angry at my son? I lost all anger for him years ago. If he were to return, I would not even ask why he left, if he did not volunteer the information. I've missed him so. For all my horrible treatment of him, I'm surprised that he did not run away earlier. Oh, Tendou, it is all my fault."
Soun watched solemnly, but he, too, knew in his heart that part of the blame lay on his shoulders. If they had not pushed the children so hard, if they had not...oh, it was hopeless. "Please, Saotome," he implored, observing his melancholy friend. "What is past, is past. Let us live in the present." He rubbed his hands against the smooth surface of the table, carefully trying to raise his friend's spirits. "Let us be strong for now, and consider what might have driven him away. In all seriousness, I do not think we were the final force behind it." Genma raised his head, listening intently to the words. "We might have only been part, while something became the catalyst on that night he disappeared. Do you have any idea what could have happened to the boy that would scare him enough to run away?" When Genma seemed about to protest that his son was not afraid of anything - excluding cats of course - Soun added, "It would have had to be something extreme to do that to him. Ranma would not run away from responsibility unless something greater was at stake."
The waitress returned again, took their orders and left after they reminded her again that they would be having company, so to bring all of the food upon his arrival and order. In the mean time, Genma reflected deeply on Soun's question, mulling over the possibilities. He needed to consider all of the facts before going into tangents. Eighteen years might have been spent since that day, but he still remembered the weeks of searching for his only child as if they were yesterday.
He thoughtfully sipped his water. "He must have been very drunk, as his friends were." Soun nodded to this and took a long drink from his glass. "Ryouga told us afterward that he was taking Ranma home and that Ranma gained enough consciousness to resist and try to find his own way home. I can see that, if Ranma were drunk."
"True," Soun replied softly. "But we are missing something. I know it. Then Ryouga followed, but got lost on the way. That is certainly believable."
Genma sighed to himself and went to lift the glass, bumping it clumsily with his right hand, almost knocking it over. It rolled over on its base a few times before settling in place. The old man's eyes lit with a thought. "Tendou, my friend. I believe I remembered something that may help unwrap this mystery."
"Do tell, Saotome," Soun said, mildly interested.
"It was raining very hard that night," Genma said with conviction as if that would solve the entire problem. When Soun raised an eyebrow in confusion, he clarified. "My boy would have been a girl."
"How would that change anything?" Soun asked, still unsure of his friend's message. "It used to rain a lot in those days."
"It makes a world of difference, Tendou," he answered, concentrating on the solution. "Young women who have had far too much to drink are much more vulnerable than men in the same position. Think, Tendou. What do you think happened after he left Ryouga? He had passed out at the bar, as the bartender told us. Something horrible enough to warrant his proceeding actions."
"You don't think?" Soun gasped, putting a hand to his mouth. He asked again, this time with more hushed tones. "You don't think that your son might have been..."
Genma nodded solemnly, gritting his teeth. "That is the conclusion I came up with. He was so ashamed with himself that he fled so that shame would not spread to his family."
"Oh, God," Soun whispered in quiet horror. "I never even considered the possibility."
With his eyes downcast, Genma took a deep breath. "As much as I want to believe that he made the right choice, I cannot console myself on that fact. I would have accepted him back, son or daughter, in the end. Whether Kimiko is his daughter by seed or womb, I would accept them both back into the family, if they were to return. No questions asked."
"As I would welcome him back to my home, if he were to need shelter," Soun replied adamantly.
"Thank you, Tendou."
Soun smiled warmly and reached across the table to pat Genma on the shoulder. Genma returned it half-hearted, but his spirits felt raised by ever so much more than he wanted to admit. The sound of the door opening stole their attention from the plight and caused them to rise from their seats.
After immediately examining the youth approaching them, Soun's smile broadened. The boy seemed to carry with him his father's arrogance, and his father's pride as he strode forward. With his dress jacket rested over his shoulder and his black slacks neatly ironed, he waved one hand before he stood close enough to bow. His hard, steel-gray eyes regarded them warmly and the smile on his face did not appear faked. His long black hair dangling slightly past his shoulders and his dazzlingly handsome face made him a heart throb for young women. The casual grace with which he moved and his height, nearly six foot, was even more impressive. And Soun already knew this one to be very bright.
"It is good to see the both of you again," the youth admitted after they bowed to each other. "It has been a long time."
"That it has, Nishiyama-san," Soun replied.
"Please, call me Kiyoshi," he returned as they all sat across from one another. "It feels like it's been much longer than two years since the last shareholders meeting I attended with you. But a lot has changed since then." The two older men whispered their agreement as he continued. "Please forgive my tardiness. I was in a meeting with some of my associates. They were rather enthusiastic and I was forced to talk with each one of them about possible projects. Your daughter, Nabiki, is a most impressive business woman, Tendou-san. I am proud to have her on my staff."
"And I am proud to have her for my daughter," Soun replied a grin. "How have you been fairing, Kiyoshi? We have heard so little of you since your father died."
"Busy," Kiyoshi answered, smiling halfheartedly. "Busy, but well enough, I suppose." He beamed at the waitress an absentminded smile as she dreamily placed a tall glass of water in front of him. Soun watched amused as she giggled and left, mumbling about returning with their food.
"That is no more than one can hope to claim," Genma sagely stated, breaking his self-imposed silence.
"Too true, Saotome," Soun agreed, sipping at his water. His mind floated back to his earlier conversation, though he tried not to ponder the dark subject to intently. A blade of curiosity kept up its vicious assault, until he could not bare to remain silent on the subject. "The other day, my grandson met a bright young lady by the name of Kimiko Nishiyama." After pausing to watch Kiyoshi's stagnant expression, he continued. "It would not have occurred to me that you might be related, but I happened to witness her amazing fighting skills today. Only one from your father's line could have taught her some of those brilliant moves since neither of ours could have."
With a mirthful chuckle, Kiyoshi lifted the glass of water to his lips. He took a deep sip, his eyes closed, the bemused expression still burning on his face. As he set the glass on the table, he met Soun's eye. "Short, bright red hair and a personality that matches her fiery mane? I believe you are speaking of my sister."
With a half-smile, Soun nodded. "We are thinking of the same young woman." He briefly glanced at Genma, but the other's face was bound with heavy thought and betrayed no emotions. "I have to warn you, though," he began telling Kiyoshi. "My grandson, Kenichi, has become enamored by your sister."
"Is that so?" the young man asked, questioning himself more than Soun, but the elder nodded anyway. "It is really too bad that we have to leave soon."
"Where are you off to?" Genma asked inquisitively.
Kiyoshi lifted his glass to take another sip, but stopped and began staring at the clear water inside. "China." His voice sounded drawn out, tired. Genma shifted in his seat slightly. "We'll be doing a little training here and there. I heard that its been quite chaotic there since the government fell."
"Besides a noticeable increase in bandits and the lack of a communist government, it's fairing better recently than it has in the last few years," Genma told him evenly. "Each of the cities has their own militia and seem to keep things relatively peaceful. That's what the news reports, anyway." Kiyoshi nodded and finally pressed the glass to his lips, taking a long sip. "I'd still be on guard if I were you though."
"Always am," Kiyoshi replied stoically, placing his finished glass of water on the table. His looked up, past Soun who turned to see the waitress bringing them their food. "Eat well, gentlemen."
As the lights dimmed, the large screen dangling from the ceiling lit with a multitude of brilliant colors. Rumbling in accordance to the picture, the speakers vibrated. Words formed on the screen, displaying the opening credits of the movie now in progress. The viewers kept silent in anticipation, though one angrily carried a tray of food.
Kimiko passively thanked Mayako for bringing snacks, gluing her eyes to the screen as the opening scene unfolded before them. She leaned back to rest up against the wall, having sat there purposely. Reiko quietly whispered to Mai, both sitting underneath the scene, laying on their backs. Kenichi sat to her right, idly sipping the soda in his hands. A light fragrance of soap drifted from him, since he had recently taken a shower.
She reached out and grabbed a soda and a bag of chips from the silver tray, grinning at Kenichi as he snagged the last bag, though he already had one.
"Hey, Maya!" he called out as his sister began to sit in preparation to watch the movie. "We're out of chips." Her returned glare brought a chuckle from him.
"Oh, I didn't get any either," Reiko sighed, frowning slightly. "I'm sure you wouldn't mind getting some more?"
Grumbling, Mayako quickly stood up, brushed herself off and left the room, slamming the door on her way out. Everyone but Reiko giggled before returning their attention to the movie. Mayako returned swiftly with a large pile of snacks and even a few bowls of rice, one of which Kimiko happily snagged.
After the movie had progressed for over a half an hour, Kimiko slapped herself lightly across the face to try and stay awake. Reiko simply had no taste in movies. Turning to Kenichi she was about comment when she noticed that he slumbered soundly. His chest rose and fell in a deep sleep, though he still sat fairly straight. She returned to watching the dull movie, even as her eyelids slowly slid shut. The next minute, she joined Kenichi in dreamland.
A light rap at the door drew Mayako's attention from Reiko's favorite, and her second favorite, movie, a romantic flick about two star-crossed lovers - or something like that. It was an oldie, but a goodie, in her opinion. The strange dialogue did take getting used to though.
She rose to her feet, stretching her arms out wearily and then crossed the floor of her bedroom. Opening the door a few inches, she peeked out.
"This better be good, Eiji," she whispered to her little brother. "And if you're lost, too bad."
He shook his head vigorously, pointing towards the stairway end of the hall. "Grandpa says Kimiko needs to come down stairs. Says someone's here to pick her up."
"Really?" she asked curiously, opening the door enough to edge her way out. After she shut the door, she asked, "Did you see the person that's picking her up?"
Eiji nodded enthusiastically, pointing towards the stairs again. "He's a really tall man with long hair. I like him! He said I would be the bestest fighter! He said it too!"
"That's nice, Eiji," she replied. "He's in the family room with Grandfather?"
"Yes!"
"All right, lead the way, little man," she whispered to him, following the energetic child as he bounced across the hall and hopped down the stairs. She stopped him at the base of the stairs and quietly told him to stay put.
Sneaking to the edge of the hall of the family room, she peered across the house at the three men and her mother sitting at the table. She easily recognized her grandfather's thin form and long gray hair, and her Uncle Genma's bald, scarf covered head and his pear-shaped figure, but the third man at the far end of the table was a complete stranger. Though he sat a distance away, she could easily identify him as a quite young and very handsome man. His long black hair rested on his shoulders somewhat like her grandfather's, but thick bangs curved at the ends towards his face. Broad shoulders and corded neck muscles were discernible, punctuating his physique. At one moment it appeared that he looked up and saw her, but his attention seemed to be absorbed by his hosts. Sucking in a deep breath, she released her grip on the ends of her shirt, since her knuckles turning white. She wondered if this could be the brother Kimiko spoke of earlier.
"I'm in love," she whispered to herself.
"In love with who?" Eiji whispered in reply, peeking past her legs in the same manner she had been.
Mayako nearly yelped in surprise, but she quickly pulled together her wits and said, "No one, Eiji-chan. Go and tell Grandfather Soun that Kimiko will be right down, okay love?"
"Okay," Eiji agreed, nodding. After she turned him in the right direction and gave him a gentle push towards the right direction, he bounded off to repeat the message.
She stared at the young man for a few more seconds before turning around a climbing back up the stairs. Sprinting to her room, she brutally opened the door, spilling light into the dark room.
"Hey!" Reiko protested, glaring at the intrusion. "You know better manners than that, Mayako."
"Close it quick!" Mai exclaimed, not turning her head from the screen. "He's about to kiss her!"
"Commercial break," she replied sternly, flipping on the lights. Reiko pressed a button on the projector and folded her arms under her breasts. When Mai started giggling hysterically, both Reiko and Mayako turned to her quizzically. Reiko turned towards the wall, her lips curving into a grin.
"What?" Mayako asked, turning to her side to witness the scene before her. Though she quickly pressed her left hand to her mouth, a muted bubble of laughter escaped as she walked up to the sleepers. Having fallen over from his sitting, her brother lay on his right side, resting his head on his arms. His body still adorned the ridiculous pink nightgown, clinging to the shape of his well proportioned body. On the other hand, Kimiko lay sprawled out with her upper torso clenched to Kenichi, her head positioned on his side and her arms wrapped around his waist. Her jaw hung slightly ajar, snoring in sound slumber.
With no intentions of embarrassing Kimiko any more than she had to, Mayako knelt and gently nudged her. The girl turned her head away from Mayako, pushing Kenichi away from the wall slightly and shifting herself behind him like a blanket to block out the light. Unlike her friends who were giggling uncontrollably behind her, she held back laughter.
Morning light shown down on her face harshly, tearing at her eyes. Shifting in her bed, Kimiko felt another gentle nudge trying to awaken her. Refusing to yield a single precious moment of rest, she wrapped her arms around her pillow tighter, drawing herself nearer.
"Kimiko!"
She attempted to open her eyes, but the felt sealed shut. "Just a few more minutes, Kiyoshi. I'm still tired." Knowing that her excuse would not work with her persistent master, she yawned. Another gentle shake finished waking her and she tried to sit up, but the crimp in her back and her unusual position restrained her. "I'm awake already."
Drawing in a deep breath, the pleasant scent of soap filled her nostrils. As her senses were slowly restored to her body and mind, the strangeness of her situation began to seep in. She focused her eyes upon the figure kneeling next to her. Shoulder length black hair brushed against the person's face as hands lifted themselves from her shoulder. The startling part was the position her body. Inviting warmth radiated from the body underneath her and she nearly cried out in surprise.
"What?" she murmured, pushing herself off of Kenichi. The realization of her position dawned upon her and the deep shade of crimson that her face assumed failed to hide it. "It's not what it looks like."
"Huh, what?" Kenichi sputtered, pressing his hand over his mouth to stifle a yawn. "Movie over already?"
Kimiko rolled to her feet quickly, frowning as she straightened her tangled clothing. Reiko and Mai exchanged knowing glances with her before she turned away from their smirking faces. At least, Mayako seemed stoic about it.
"Someone's here for you, Kimiko," Mayako told her solemnly. "I think it's your brother."
Her previous embarrassment washed out of her and the color slowly drained from her cheeks. Her brother had promised to stay out of her business and he had never broken his word before. There had to be a reason for his presence today.
"Come on, I'll show you to him," Mayako offered, taking Kimiko's hand. "I think he's been waiting a while."
"Okay," she replied, allowing the girl to lead her downstairs. Nearly falling when Mayako leapt the last few steps, Kimiko held her hand tightly. As they began to pass through the hallway to the family room, they abruptly stopped, causing Kimiko to slide into Mayako.
Facing the adults seated around the table, Kimiko's heart leapt. Stepping out from behind her friend, she stood, facing figures all too familiar. Light reflected off of Genma's thin, dark-framed glasses just as it would off his bald head if he did not wear a kerchief to cover it. His eyes returned her nervous stare, but she did not turn away quickly. Slowly glancing to the next individual, her brother, she leveled a glare at him. The whole group remained silent until Akane spoke.
"Would you like some tea, girls?"
Mayako replied before Kimiko had the chance to. "No thank you, mother. We just had drinks up stairs." Kimiko turned to face her right side to look at Mayako. She smiled warmly at the adults, but looked as nervous as Kimiko felt.
"No thank you, Akane-san," Kimiko replied anyway, facing her brother again. "Was there a problem, brother?"
A smile touched his cynical lips and he stood suddenly, brushing slacks. "No, Kimiko. Nothing is the matter. I just figured since I was here, I might as well take you back to the hotel now and save on cab fare." Before she could reply, he addressed his hosts with his charming and pleasant voice, bowing. "I'm afraid I have to leave all of you now."
"It was good seeing you again, Kiyoshi," Soun said, standing briefly to return the bow. Akane and Genma did likewise before Kiyoshi silently stepped around them and walked towards the girls.
"You have not been introduced to my daughter yet, Nishiyama-san," Akane told him. "Kiyoshi Nishiyama, this is my daughter, Mayako Tendou. Mayako this is Kiyoshi."
"It is good to meet you, Nishiyama-san," the girl greeted, bowing very low.
"It is my pleasure," he replied smoothly, bowing to her. "Kimiko did not tell me her friends were so beautiful." He smiled warmly when Mayako's face turned deep scarlet. He twisted around, turning his back to the girls when he spoke again. "Have you met my sister yet, Saotome-san?"
"No, I have not," he replied. "I am Genma Saotome, young one. Your brother did tell us of your beauty, though his words were sorely understated."
Nervously bowing, Kimiko took a deep breath before responding. "I thank you, Saotome-san." She twisted her head slightly when her brother placed a hand on her shoulder. "Thank you for everything, Mayako." Kiyoshi squeezed her shoulder once before releasing it and walking down the hall. She turned to follow, but Mayako grabbed her wrist.
"I thought you were going to stay the night?" she whispered urgently.
"I can?" Kimiko whispered back.
"Of course, silly!" Mayako exclaimed with hushed tones. "Please stay."
Kimiko nodded solemnly and turned to see her brother waiting at the door. Slowly crossing the floor, she stood a few feet from him and asked, "Would it be all right if I stayed here for the night?"
"As long as you stay out of trouble," he told her. Quietly, he whispered, "And be careful." He paused, looking out the open front door. "You might wish to collect some extra clothes at the hotel." Stepping out the door, he calmly strode down the brick walkway towards the gate.
"That mean you can stay?" Mayako asked, standing beside Kimiko.
"Yeah," she replied, beginning to follow her brother. "I gotta pick up some clothes at my room. I'll be back within an hour."
Keeping pace with her, Mayako skipped to keep up. She smiled at Kimiko before asking, "Mind if tag along?"
Tugging her crimson hair in a ponytail, the redhead pulled a hair tie from her pocket, binding it back to keep her bangs from swaying in her face. Twisting sideways, she returned Mayako's carefree smile. "I'm sure Kiyoshi won't care. Your mother doesn't mind if you come with us?" Mayako shrugged stoically as they passed through the gates and onto the sidewalk.
"That your car?" the raven haired girl asked, pointing at the black Mercedes Benz parked in front of the house. Kiyoshi walked to the driver's seat door and retrieved his keys from his pocket.
"Nah, that's just a rental," Kimiko explained with her hands on the handle.
"Oh," Mayako replied, sliding into the car after Kimiko.
After their silent journey across town, they arrived at the Hilton. Kiyoshi led the two girls towards the tall building which shined down upon them as they exited the car and made their way up to his room. Kiyoshi amusedly watched Mayako's startled face as they finally reached their destination. Slipping the room key into the door, it unlocked with a solid click and opened. Light from the hall filtered into the dark room, revealing its red carpeting.
"Lights," he uttered, and a half of a dozen lights lit at once, illuminating the entire room which appeared to be much more than that from its size. On his immediate left, a short, tiled hall led to the kitchen and further into a restroom. The floors shined with a recently polished luster, reflecting the glow from the light above. The closed door on the right remained shut and locked, though it was no more than a maid's storage room. Followed by the two teenagers, he crossed the hallway leading into a huge entertainment room, filled with stereo equipment, a very large video screen and a wide couch with a coffee table stretching its length. Red blinds against the far wall concealed a wide window that overlooked the city. Two doors led from this room into separate bedrooms, each with its own restroom. Kimiko had been surprised at the size of the king sized beds when they first arrived, but he had seen enough of these suites to not be. This would be the last luxury they would receive before China, and he meant to remember it.
"Cool," Mayako whispered as they entered the spacious room. "This place is huge!" She sneaked around his sister and haphazardly fell onto the couch, resting her arms around its cushions. She smiled at his sister who stood at his side. He turned to look at the crimson-haired girl who faintly returned Mayako's smile.
Though he had noticed it when he had first seen her sneaking a peek at him from around the hall back at the Tendou's, he still remarked at how closely Mayako resembled her mother. He still had yet to see her twin, but he supposed that the boy would appear much the same. It was no small wonder how Kimiko easily became friends with the two. He looked at Mayako on the couch conversing Kimiko with low tones.
Twisting his wrist watch in its proper position on his wrist, he read, "5:36," to himself quietly. The weight of responsibility re-attached itself to his shoulders as he remembered the duties he had put off for this night. He walked across the room to the wall and opened the blinds. Hundreds of feet below, the twinkle of the city shone up at him as the fiery reds and oranges of sunset lit the seemingly endless expanse of buildings. Clouds covered the horizon in their misty sprawl across the sky, but that only amplified the beauty before him. He closed his eyes warily as the two girls behind him chattered, their voices sweet to his ears. He needed to remember to take them to a Karaoke bar before he left to China.
"You two can do whatever, just keep the noise level down. I have to make some calls." Kimiko turned and nodded to him.
The door to his room opened and closed swiftly, and he quickly found his black leather briefcase, sealed as he had left it before and still laid upon his bed. When he placed his thumb against the strip of plastic underneath its handle, it snapped open, revealing an unsorted pile of papers and his black cellular phone. He retrieved the phone and placed it beside the briefcase. Next to join the phone, his stack of papers were gently laid in a neat pile. He peered into the darkness of the leather briefcase and slid his hand to the bottom of its unusually warm surface, digging under the folds. His fingers gingerly caressed the object of his search within, folding around it and finally grasping it. The warmth it radiated felt strangely comfortable against the skin of his hands, its hard, smooth surface slipping around the third finger of his right hand. It would be safest there, for now.
Like a jolt of adrenaline, he felt his chi surge through him as he summoned it. A bubble of violet energy crackled to life around him, surrounding his body in a protective sphere of pure, unadulterated chi energy with the essence of life coursing through his veins. He had no need to stand. The magic of his life force could do that for him, and it did, lifting him off the bed to leave him hovering in mid-air. While straining to hold onto his tentative control, he floated towards the window which took the entire wall. He gazed at the city below through a brilliant purple filter, but instead of hampering his vision, it amplified it tenfold. Details of the people walking on the dirtied streets focused clearly. Cars rushing by at high speeds slowed to a crawl and each passenger of each vehicle became easily discernible. Like a wraith, he floated through the surface of the glass and concentrated his energies on a different sense. His hawk-like vision fled his eyes instantly, replaced by the chattering of the people conversing, the swish of cars whizzing by, the shouts of angry pedestrians and a hundred other unique sounds. He could concentrate on a single noise, silencing all others, but he did not. Though his eyes no longer glowed with the power of his chi, it was still greatly enhanced along with every other sense, but nothing entered the violet shield of energy crackling around his body, not even air. His body simply had no need while in this state.
A knock on his door drew him from the ecstasy of the energy coursing through him, and he returned to the room faster than the eye could detect, faster than a bullet fired from its chamber, nearly breaching the speed of light. For a few vital seconds as the sun finished setting over the horizon, he struggled against the need to gather more chi, to surround himself with as much as he could hold, and maybe a bit more. He forced the power back to his body, returning him to normal. Though spectacular, he had only used a scant amount of energy to power his actions, leaving him plenty to hold onto consciousness. If he had used too much, he would have fallen into a deep slumber. If he had used it all, he would be dead. He slipped the ring from his finger and into his pocket.
Another couple knocks echoed into the room, and this time he stood unsteadily and walked to unlock it. He cracked open the door an inch, enough to peer at Kimiko's patient face.
"What is it?" he asked, his voice betraying the weariness he felt.
"I need to talk to you for a second," she whispered, staring back into his eyes. When he failed to answer her, her brows slanted and her lips curved into a frown. "Please?"
"Sure," he replied, opening the door to allow her entry.
"Thanks." She sauntered into the room, hands clasped in front of her. She hesitated but he nodded for her to sit. Avoiding the mess he had left from his empty briefcase, she hopped onto the wide mattress, bouncing a few times while shifting to sit cross-legged.
He turned and dragged a padded wooden chair from its place in the corner to face her, concern etched into his posture. "What's bothering you?"
Her lids shut and she turned away, showing the strain in her face. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you about what I was doing at the Tendous."
The worry faded from him and he smiled. "It's your business, Kim-chan. I knew that you would tell me when you felt right about it, but if not that would have been fine too." He stood and knelt in front of her. Gently, he twisted her head to face him. "I'm the one who should be sorry."
"No," she retorted, glaring down at him. "I should have told you right away. They were as much a part of your life as they were mine." Her eyes glistened, but she did not cry. "We're both outcasts." The blank look in her face concerned him, and he gingerly held her chin.
"That's barely a part of what's troubling you." His challenging stare caused her to turn, but he did not let her. "Look at me, Kim-chan. Tell me what's wrong."
Her lips parted slightly as she grit her teeth. A tear spilled onto her cheek. "You were there; you saw her too." She gasped for a breath quietly with a hurt look painted onto her face. Her jaw quivered; she was on the verge of crying. "She's happy, she's married, and she has kids."
"I know," he whispered, releasing her chin.
"Why?" she asked, looking at him earnestly.
"I don't have that answer, love." He wiped the wetness from her cheek.
"A part of me is glad that she's happy," she whispered turning to stare at the door. "And another part is jealous and wants her back. I'm not a stupid child anymore." A moment of silence drowned out all noise, until she spoke again. "I've had to learn that the hard way. Nothing will ever be the same, and being here proves that." She had her emotions under control again, and she returned his look.
"When I walked into Tendou's house, I realized that it wasn't home anymore. Though living in California was strange, I liked it a lot better than I do here." Drawing in a deep breath, she sighed.
"Do you want to go home, then?" he asked calmly. "Or straight to China. I could get us a flight early tomorrow morning, or afternoon to either destination."
Consideration lit her eyes for a moment, but she shook her head. "There is a reason why I stay, though."
"The twins, right?" She nodded demurely in reply. "Is it because they look like Akane?"
"At first, yes," she admitted solemnly. "But I think I really like them. Mayako is so full of life, so vibrant. She fights much better than I did at her age, and she's her own person. I really admire her." She sniffed once, before continuing. "And Kenichi is so different, but I think I like him a little bit more. He's even- tempered and kind, if a bit dreamy-eyed. He really seemed to care. And last night before the cab picked me up, I really felt connected to him. If I was staying her longer, he'd definitely be my prime choice for a best friend."
"What's keeping you then?" he inquired, trying to understand her. The look in her eyes answered for him. "It hurts to be around Akane, doesn't it?" She nodded, closing her eyes. "If you ever change your mind, I could easily get you a place to stay near the Tendous, or even at their house if you wanted." He put his hand on her right knee. "Don't answer, just keep it in mind."
"Okay," she whispered almost inaudibly. "There's another thing, too." She paused resting both of her hands atop of his. "I wasn't going to say it you, or anyone, but I have to get it off my shoulders. Remember how you said Jusenkyou changed you?" After he nodded, she continued. "Well, it changed me too. A lot. And I'm scared that I'm going to lose myself because of it."
Placing his other hand atop hers, he held them in front of them. "Do you feel different inside now?"
"Yes," she replied, turning her hand around to gently squeeze his.
"What do you think changed inside of you?" he asked curiously. The red shade her face assumed caused him to add, "You don't have to tell me if you don't feel comfortable."
Her lids closed shut again, but she shook her head. "I have to tell someone." Silence descended upon them again, and it took her nearly two minutes for her to find her confidence. "I'm not attracted to women anymore." She opened her blue eyes to stare at him.
"And you're attracted to men, now," he finished for her, feeling her pain, her fear of rejection. She shrugged and turned away. This was dangerous territory to tread and he knew it, but if he was to help her, he would have to jump into the fire. "You shouldn't be ashamed of yourself." The questioning look in her eyes began to border a threat, but he continued. "You don't have to like it, but you should accept it for now. If you can't accept yourself for who you are, no one else can either." He delicately squeezed her hands to show his support.
The searching look in her eyes showed something still bothered her, but he would not pry into it any further tonight.
"Who are you?" she asked quietly with strained breathing. "I don't want to know who you were, but who you are. You definitely are not Happosai. I don't understand you." He could hear the solid determination in her voice, the essence of who she was, the will to never give up. "Happosai was a spiteful, perverted old man who cared for no one but himself. But you, you're so different. You cared for me even though we were enemies before, and you didn't even try anything like I expected you to. Why? Did you wake up different one day, or what?"
"It wasn't an over night change," he replied, sitting back in the wooden chair. He folded his arms atop his chest. "It took me one instant to realize who I was, and I didn't like it. I found myself reviled and hated by everyone around me. I found myself alone for the second time in a small prison cell, changed down like a caged animal. Armed guards had weapons trained on my prone figure. I was well over a hundred years old and found myself lacking something, and it wasn't women's undergarments. It didn't even have anything to do with women." He paused and looked away, holding his sorrow back. "I was dead to the world, and to myself.
"That was about when Jusenkyou's magic started affecting me, so I escaped jail and found a Buddhist temple in China where I could stay. It took one moment to realize I needed the change, and three years to undergo it. From that point on, I took control of my life, but I still felt empty and alone. That's when you woke up."
Standing straight, Kiyoshi pushed the chair into the corner of the room. He smiled warmly at her before moving to clean the mess on his bed. "All I needed was a little happiness, a little complication in my life and it felt that much more rewarding, to live."
"There is one thing on my mind, Kimiko," he whispered. She nodded for him to continue. "What are you going to tell everyone about yourself? Will you tell them your true identity, or something else? Your father and Soun are already investigating your connection to Ranma, and if you're not careful they could find out the truth."
Her pause was enough of an answer, but she spoke anyway. "I don't really know." With her eyes closed, she took in a deep breath and released it slowly. "Each time I go there, I feel the need to tell everyone, but I'm scared how they'll react. What if they don't want me around? I know that I'd be mad at me if I were Akane. And what if they don't believe me? I can't change like I used to be able to. If they thought I was a liar, I'd never be able to see Akane or anyone again. They'd just think me a horrible person for lying like that." She paused again, considering her answer. "You know what I mean?"
"Yeah," he replied softly. "It would be best to take your time, but do not take too much; otherwise, it may fall down on top of you."
She stood and walked to the door, opening it. "Thanks, Kiyoshi."
"Anytime," he replied. "Tell your friend that we're going back in a few minutes. I hope you gathered some stuff?"
"Uh-huh." She paused at the door for a moment before walking out.
The three climbed into the Mercedes, but this time Mayako sat in the passenger seat. Kimiko silently stared out the window as her brother turned on the engine. The streets were bustling with activity at this time of night and there were many pedestrians on the walks, but her mind was elsewhere. Her talk with her brother stirred a lot of dormant emotions, pain most of all. All of the pain she experienced from waking in the strange hospital bed to now seemed to have been collecting, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
She idly listened to Mayako as she talked with her brother, but with no enthusiasm. The girl's earlier modesty seemed to have evaporated.
"How old are you?" she asked bluntly.
"Older than you," he quipped slowing the car to allow a few pedestrians cross the road. While his response was meant to quench any probing questions, it had little effect.
"Where do you work?"
He took a moment to answer, but did none-the-less. "I own Nishiyama Inc. and a couple dozen other corporations world wide."
As they pulled onto the highway, Kimiko's eyes slowly slid shut as the background blurred hypnotically.
"So, you live in the States?"
"Yes, on the west coast."
Her head slid against the cold glass and the vibrations of the car stoked her sleepiness.
"I heard it's warm there, unlike here. It seems to be cold all the time now."
"Actually, the weather is pretty much the same as here."
Her mouth slid open and she sucked in the cold air, barely conscious as the car hummed steadily.
"I don't mean to pry, but do you have a girlfriend?"
"Why, are you offering?"
A sudden bump in the road jolted the car enough to cause Kimiko's head to bounce against the window, but she hardly noticed.
"No, no, I was just curious."
"Not at the moment, no."
Her eyes eased open slightly and she looked at Mayako briefly before shutting them again.
"Hey, we're just about there."
Inky darkness consumed her as her lungs screamed for oxygen. She frantically swam upwards, straining to hold herself from taking a breath. As the cold seeped into her body, her eyes searched for light, but found none. She wanted to cry, she wanted to see, she wanted to live, but she was trapped in her prison and there were no walls, no dimensions, nothing to hold onto and no sound to hear.
She grew more frantic as another moment passed without gaining any ground. A numbness began to settle over her, starting with her feet, and reaching up towards her ankles, gaining speed until it reached her knees.
Realization began to dawn upon her and she closed her eyes, feeling with her mind instead of her fingers. She looked with a thought rather than an eye. She focused all of her remaining energy, every ounce, praying that it was enough to pull through the madness.
A light, no bigger than a single grain of sand, shown upon her and she reached for it, grabbing it. Instantly, warmth spread down her body and the nourishing air forced itself into her lungs. Relief, unparalleled to any she might have experience before, calmed her, filled her, saturating her entire being. She slightly loosened her grip, and fell into a dreamless slumber.
They had all decided to go to bed and placed out there blankets and pillows on the living room floor. After a bit of arguing, everyone agreed to let Mai use the couch, while the other four found places near it. At first, Kenichi thought his choice to sleep next to Kimiko was a good one, though he later realized with her so close it was impossible to sleep. Now it was well past one in the morning and he was not even remotely tired. From the sound of everyone else's breathing, they were sleeping.
He tried to close his eyes to sleep, but light from the digital clock on the VCR cast just enough light to make Kimiko's face visible. There was something about her that drew him like a moth to a flame. From the subtle curves of her cheekbone, to the small point of her nose, he marveled at how perfect she appeared to him. He sighed deeply, and closed his eyes.
She stirred slightly with a soft whimper and his eyes snapped open. Instead of lying on her back, she now faced him on her side. Less than a foot separated them now. His heart leapt as he reached his hand out, brushing her left cheek. She felt like ice against his finger, and he began to draw it back when both of her hands darted out, snagging his within them. Her hands chilled his, but he barely felt it. Her eyes still remained shut and her cute pout shifted and her teeth began to chatter.
Spotting the problem, he reached down to her feet with his free hand and covered her with her discarded blanket. He laid himself down again, still watching her attentively. The smile on her face showed her relief, bringing one to his. She still gripped his hand, but not as tightly. It did not take him long to find sleep thereafter.
End Part One: The Unexpected
Nothing but the cold and rain welcomed Kimiko home, but her new friends seem to fill in the gaps with their childish humor and light demeanors. The day ended, bringing to light in the eyes of her new friends the agony tearing her asunder. Kimiko's old friend's are gathering, and she may find herself the star again, the object of everyone's attention. The dawn of a new day approaches, a life renewed. But the darkness is also gathering, bringing with it a tempest of destruction. Two figures, both evil bound with good intentions, and one of pure dark will soon find the target of their wrath. Her new friends may prove invaluable when it arrives, but their forms are deceptive. Until next time friends, in Misery Loves Company, Farewell.
