Hallo! Not much to say today except for "Enjoy and Review!"
One thing though. Fixed excessive pronoun (and a couple of annoying spelling) errors in chapter two. Special thanks to Tai Khan for catching them as I didn't notice a lot of them. And there were a few more than there should have been. For that I'm very sorry.
On another note. I started with the scene change past/present story style, and that's how I'm gonna stay. Don't like it? Meh. I don't care. This fic is the spoof for all my fluffiness anyways so I can keep my uber fics distant, dramatic, and epic. Special thanks to Stratagemini for… well… hard to explain. Just notice the thanks.
Oh One more thing. Anarchists is being heavily written on as we speak. Me and ozz have developed the storyline quite well in my opinion. Still workin' a few kinks out, but with his comedy, my drama, and one helluva plot, that story is gonna be one fun ride!
Guess I did have a bit to say. On with the story!
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Chapter Three: Forgiven
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It was chilly and windy but not so chilly yet that students were unable to conduct gym class outdoors. Most of them felt pretty good actually, even considering the tight uniforms the girls wore but Futaba had always been a smaller girl, when in girl form. She shivered while most of the girls didn't seem to mind the cold wind.
At the moment, all attention was on her and the person standing in front of her.
"Futaba…" Said the man slowly. Futaba had been a girl when he had appeared in the middle of gym class and now students who had been on the track field with her, now stood watching the black-haired man. Handsome beyond handsome, he held even Futaba captive in his illustrious blue-eyed gaze. Her more than any as it was her he was focused on. More than focused on. In this form, immense attraction couldn't help but enveloped her when looking at a guy like the one before her.
"Y-yes? H-have we met?" Futaba asked demurely.
He advanced slowly, though in a gentle pace so as not to startle anyone. Her friends nearby her almost huddled at the man's approach, nigh on swooning.
"It's me… Ranma." Ranma said languidly.
"R-Ranma? That's you!? I-uh… er… well! You look… good!" Futaba said, nervously, backing away slowly. Fear clutched at her like a snakes fangs.
The pigtailed man's face broke into a half hearted grin. "Y-you too." He repled.
Wind blustered across the field sweeping his pigtail and her mat of hair towards the east enhancing the dramatic tension and silence that had erupted within the entire gym class.
'Thank god Misaki isn't in this class!' Futaba thought with barely containable relief. She was a jealous girl, and if she found that Futaba even knew a man who looked like…Ranma, she would instantly think that… well...
"H-how are you doing, Futaba-chan? Are you… Are you okay?" He asked, concerned.
Finally getting over the goggle-eyed effect her feminine hormones gave her, she reconciled this man in her mind along side the image of the goddess of a red-headed girl. Not fond of women quite as much in this form, she reasserted her firm foundation of anger and mistrust of this person. And fear was always there. She tried to shove it down too. If he were going to kill her he could have easily done so already.
She turned away from him slightly and gave a hmph of disapproval at him. "I'm just fine." She said, causing her friends to almost gape at her.
"I… I'm sorry again." He said, clumsily. "B-but ya know, if you'd hear me out, you would understand a little better."
Arms folded under her breasts, she quirked an eyebrow at the man. "Would I now?" She asked. This man had tried to kill her and nigh on come close to succeeding! Why in the world would she want to be anywhere near him!?
A small shiver crept up Futaba's spine as she looked at him of both fear and hormonal lust but she forced both down. She would not be afraid, and she would definitely not be attracted to… him.
"Y-yes. Look, I said I'm sorry. What more can I do?" Ranma said with a small hint of worry. 'Damn!' he thought as he looked at the girl. 'I can do that feminine eyebrow-quirk thing too when I'm a girl! Why does it still affect me?'
The girls, now almost surrounding them in a semi-circle behind Futaba. She seemed angry at this man. She had free reign to be angry at men of course. With her job he was probably just some fan who got a little too carried away but even so whispers began erupting behind them.
"Who is he?"
"What's his number?"
"His pigtail is weird!"
"Ranma? I don't think I've ever met anyone called Ranma before.""What's Futaba's problem with him?"
"Dunno. If she's leaves him he's mine!"
"Did he just come from China or something?"
"He's got a cute butt."
Ranma faltered a little at the last one but he held his calm demeanor as he confronted the blonde haired girl.
"Hey! What's going on out here!?" Came a stern voice suddenly. All eyes whipped to a black haired, slender woman, wearing a teachers uniform and approaching with a steady pace. "Futaba? Who's… whoa… who's this?" Said the girl as her eyes glassed over just a bit.
She shook her head suddenly and was instantly out of her dazed stupor. She marched directly up to Ranma. "Hey! Why aren't you in uniform? Er… who are you? Have we met?"
"Uh… Shimeru-sensei he's—" Futaba began to say.
The woman blinked and turned to Futaba with a look of momentary confusion swift enough to make the blonde stop speaking. Then the black haired woman's lips curled into a smile. "Ah… I see Futaba. So this is what happened with Misaki…"
Futaba blinked, shocked and held up her hands defensively. "No No, Futana! I didn't even meet him until after! He didn't have anything to do with—!"
"I'm Ranma." He said, interrupted turning all eyes back to him. "S-sorry about this, Futaba. I'll… I'll head out. I don't want to cause any trouble…"
He backed away towards the fence slowly looking as if jumping would be a good idea. It seemed he'd done nothing but get Futaba in trouble trying to talk to her here. But where else could they talk? One last glance at the woman- Futana? Futana Shimeru? Odd… -and Ranma gave an enormous leap bounding well over the fence and out of sight.
Everyone gave a shocked blink at the rampant display of skill but they had seen better at the great club war over Futaba not so long ago.
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Ranma had realized now what he wanted. What he or she wanted. He'd been in denial about it for almost three weeks now and only now… only after did he realize how little chance he had. But he had to try. He'd been betrayed, by the only one he'd thought he could ever actually love. He'd been dwindling in despair and depression and self-hatred and loathing when Futaba had found him that night, crying in the rain.
Simple words. Caring words. An ear to listen to him speak when no one else could. A heart in pain as much as his own. Different pain, but still heartache and grief. Not to mention a similar problem. It should have been like a dream come true. It WAS a dream come true. A dream he had yearned for and wanted with every fiber of his heart. A dream he had perverted in his mind and ruined because it had been 'too good to be true.'
Even if Futaba had used some magic trick. Some red-thread. Some koi-rod… Ranma didn't think he even cared. He couldn't possibly try to hurt her… or him again. Not and risk those eyes.
And now her only chance at… at… her only chance to even be Futaba's friend was that the girl could forgive her. The terror on the blonde's face when she had attacked sprung up in Ranma's memory, and she shivered.
Were she in Futaba's shoes that day she knew she wouldn't forgive.
But oh, how she hoped.
Now she sat, watching the blonde, stalking him she realized with grim self-loathing, as a raven haired girl similar to Akane, approached him, tears welling in her eyes.
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The day had become dreary. It wasn't raining anymore, but a half hour before the sky had been pouring.
'Ranma…' Futaba thought, as she walked home slowly. What was with him anyways? Why in the world would he do that? Embarrassing her, making her look like an idiot in front of Futana and… and…
"ARGH! He makes me so mad!" She screamed, loud enough to have caused quite a few stares if anyone had been nearby. Self denial. She knew she was attracted to Ranma. Very attracted. Both male and female versions.
Her face began to heat up but she quelled it quickly. She was already excited enough.
His face appeared in her mind again, melding with the face of the beautiful girl that was also Ranma. The girl he'd tried to comfort that day.
'She was so beautiful…' She thought haphazardly. Love potions. She'd thought she'd had her take some love inducing potion or magic or something, that had made her like him. Was that really all it took to drive her into a rage? Affectionate thoughts?
"She told me so much that night. About Akane and Ryoga… she never said anything about love potions…" Futaba murmured to herself.
"So, that's the way it is…" Came a soft voice, barely audible above the sounds of everyday life echoing everywhere.
"Misaki-chan. Wh-what… what are—?" Futaba stuttered. Misaki had been standing there leaning against a building and Futaba, so lost in her confusing thoughts, hadn't even noticed the girl she had once loved.
"There was someone else… that boy… who is he Futaba!? Is… was it him? Did you leave me because of—!"
"NO!" Futaba shouted angrily, and then more calmly, "No… I hadn't even met her… him… until after—!"
"Liar!" She yelled. "He's… he's handsome, rugged, wild… the best looking guy I've ever… ever seen! Of course you would… would! I-I hate you, Futaba Shimeru!"
She dashed off, tears streaming down her eyes.
"W-wait, Misaki! Misak—!"
Suddenly the girl stopped, poleaxed.
"Wh-what?" She exclaimed, surprised as a figure faded into being.
"R-Ranma!" Futaba exclaimed, as she ran to catch up with Misaki. She stiffened in involuntary fear as she looked at the girl's downcast eyes and red hair, memories of that same girl encased in writhing red aura dancing through he head. The girl now held Misaki in a firm hug, meant to keep her from moving.
Ranma looked up, her eyes meeting Futaba's as she held the shocked Misaki. "I'm… sorry." She said lamely. "You've got it all wrong! Futaba's not like that! She's… she's… she 's better than that!" The girl screamed at Misaki. Blue orbs meeting hazel brown.
"Wh-who're… who the heck are you?" Misaki exclaimed, pushing heatedly away from the red-headed girl, her shirt drenched with wetness from the red-head's clothes. She backed up towards Futaba, also involuntarily.
"I'm sorry. I'm… I'm the boy from before. The one that girl gave you pictures of." Ranma said, dispassionately. "I met Futaba the night you and he broke up. He… He comforted me. And… he was sad too. We talked for hours about… about you… about my fiancée. I… I couldn't get him out of my head! Him… her… It didn't… it didn't matter."
"Wh-what are you talking about?" Misaki asked. "You're a girl! How could you be a… a… It can't be… you're a… a Shimeru?" Misaki asked.
It was Futaba who answered in the negative. "She isn't like me… she doesn't change the same way I do but… she's him." The words had a bit of fire in them. Angry fire. Misaki looked uncomprehendingly from the glare on her ex-boyfriend's face, to the sad, accepting… humble look on the beautiful red-head.
It was only then that she noticed how beautiful the girl was. It had begun to rain at some point during the day earlier though it had stopped now. It was obvious the girl had stood in that rain, soaking. Even with her hair in an unruly mop, strange pigtail puffed and soaked out the back of her head, she was awe-inspiring. As beautiful as Futaba, or more.
"Please Futaba… I just want… I'm… sorry." The girl murmured piteously as she slid to her knees looking at Futaba in hopeful desperation.
Abruptly a pang of incredible sympathy welled up in Misaki. This girl, was asking- begging –for her Futab— for Futaba's forgiveness and she wasn't giving it? That wasn't the Futaba she knew. What could this girl have possibly done so that—
"You tried to kill me! Do you just do that to any person who turns you on 'cause they must've slipped you a love potion? You… You terrified me… I thought we were friends and then you…" Said the blonde girl. Anger faded a little with that visible shiver. As a girl she was always a bit more emotional. Obviously the same was true for Ranma.
She tried to KILL him!? She… she what!? "What… you actually… tried to… to…" Misaki stuttered trying to get her mind around that. Tried to kill him. Actually Kill Futaba. Got, what did…
"What did Futaba do? I know Futaba… I… loved him for…" she paused, hoping he caught the past tense especially strongly, then continued. "I know Futaba. What could he have possibly done to make you try to… to…" She couldn't put words to it. It was unfathomable.
The girl looked away. "Y-you don't understand. He wouldn't leave! Every time I tried to think about what to do he'd keep popping up in my head! Every time I thought about anything she'd be there! I… I couldn't stop thinking about her… only one other person made me feel that way and she… she…"
Misaki thought she saw the ghost of a tear trail down the other side of the girl's face, and she didn't miss the dual pronouns used to describe Futaba. 'She likes him in both forms…' she realized with surprise.
"She made me feel so... happy. Like with Akane before… before…" Ranma went on holding back tears.
Futaba's glare diminished. How could anyone stay angry at someone with so much grief running through them? And Futaba was no unforgiving soul. Her heart reached out to the crying girl once more as it had all those nights ago.
"Tell us." Misaki said suddenly. "Come on Futaba. Remember when I first found out about your change? I felt so betrayed and angry until I put myself in your shoes that I didn't think. Let's hear what she has to say. She might have… a really good reason to have… done that." For all Misaki knew it might be true… But what could?
The raven haired girl strode to the red-head's side and offered a hand and a smile. Futaba stiffened slightly, as if to move between her, and then she sighed and relented.
"Come on. We can go to my place. It's not far… I just… why? Why in the world would you want to kill me for… liking me?"
'Thank you…' Ranma thought, blessing Futaba's ex-girlfriend with nigh on worship.
They stood, Misaki helping Ranma to her feet. This would be… awkward at best. Thinking of all the time she and Futaba had spent together in that room. But Misaki smiled as best she could.
"Well, come on. Lets hear the whole story!" Futaba said heatedly. She tried to stay angry as evidenced by the tone, but there was a small happy glint in her eye. Not to mention a light flush in her cheeks to Misaki's great chagrin. But… Glancing at Ranma she decided that maybe it would be worth it. She and Futaba were over. She understood that now. So… if she couldn't have him… at least she could make sure the person who did was… good enough.
If only she could make her aching heart forget him…
"W-well… I guess… from the beginning… I-it all started back in China. Me and my old man were…"
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"And she hit me over the head with a table! A stone table! Can you believe...!?"
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"—Black Rose. Kuno's sister. Turns out she was as psychotic as her brother. She still doesn't know that me and my boy side are one in the same!"
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"—oga. Damn pig… He's been using that damn promise against me ever since. He sleeps in Akane's bed! In his pig form! And I can't tell her! I can't! Well… I couldn't… I guess she already knew though… I'm not mad at him… he wanted her from the beginning so when he got the chance. But she… she'd…"
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"Tried ta kill me! How the heck could I possible marry a girl who'd been doing nothing but trying to kill me for the past three months! I mean sure she was cute but…"
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"—y best friend. If there was anyone I could have talked to that night when I found out about Akane and Ryoga it would have been her. If not for the whole fiancée thing… I would'a gone to her. But I couldn't She'd have just used it to make me marry her. Do you know how.. bad that feels?"
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"—ed Thread of Dread. I apparently didn't even know what was going on the whole time but while the string was tied, I apparently wanted to marry Shampoo! Unconditionally! But… Akane… she saved me from it… in the end she… cut it…"
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"Three pills. They make you fall in love with the first person you see. They… weren't permanent but trust me… they… work…"
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"I still shiver every time I think about that damn Koi Rod… I remember how I felt here. It made me sick! So when you… made me feel… the same way… I…"
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"I brought her back to human form with the water, pulled it into the sky to make it come faster, but she still wouldn't wake up. I tried everything. Slapped her. Hugged her. Nothing… nothing… So I started talking…"
They were sitting in Futaba's room and had been mostly undisturbed for the entirety of Ranma's story. Ranma had plowed through at least three water bottles in the telling and was still going. Frankly on the whole it was the story of a life time! Ranma's convoluted relationships and enemies. Futaba couldn't help but feel sorry for her. More than sorry. She expanded on the story she had told that night of merely Ryoga and Akane, expanded and grown a preposterous tale told through eyes that believed every word spoken.
Misaki and Futaba had been entranced. Ever since the mention of the pills Futaba thought she had forgiven Ranma. A pill to make you fall in love with the next person you see? It sent a shiver down her spine. What would Negiri or worse, Futana do with something like that?
"I talked about, alotta things. I don't remember much of what I said either, but at some point, I found that the idea of her dying… made my heart hurt. Made me feel cold… alone like nothing else ever had. It was that same feeling that all the love potions and stuff made me feel. Exactly the same but… this time it was genuine." Ranma said. "I… I loved her… and so I… shouted it. It brought her back. I… I don't know how but she came back to me."
Tears had been absent from the poor girls face for quite some time. Now they returned in earnest, the red-head's mind solely on her ex-love.
"And then she… she…"
Misaki swept the girl in an encompassing hug, and she cried, shedding what few tears remained unshed after all this time.
Futaba just watched, but a need had risen in her. She wanted to be the one this girl cried for. The one this girl talked to. The one this girl lov—!
What in the hell was she thinking!? No. They weren't nearly ready for that yet. But… she could forgive Ranma. Sh—he did have a good reason to try to kill her. The utter sadness that thought caused coursed throughout her being and weighed down upon her heavily.
She was lucky. Her problems were miniscule compared to this red-haired enigma's.
"And then…" The girl began again, lifting her face and wiping her eyes she looked up at Futaba, who only now realized her own eyes were wet from the rampant emotions thrown from the red-head. "You… made me feel that same way. My heart… hurt… thinking about you and…"
It was as Futaba had already guessed. As she'd said before but Futaba couldn't understand then without her story. Futaba smiled. Hopping off her bed, she went to the red head and knelt behind her, Misaki between them, Ranma looking over the sweets-loving girl's shoulder with a forlorn look in her eyes as she stared up at Futaba.
"I can forgive you for that Ranma. I… I'm sorry… about all this. But… next time… don't try to kill me okay? That… Well… you're really scary… when you're mad…" Futaba stuttered, her face going red as she poked her index fingers together.
Ranma's faced brimmed into a small, hopeful smile. "R-really?"
Futaba's own smile widened a bit and she nodded.
Misaki too, smiled. She keenly felt the sting of knowing that Futaba wouldn't ever be hers again. But she could live with this. Being her friend. Their friend, as that was obviously how it would turn out. Perhaps, hers was just around the corner? Who knew? But at least she didn't have a life like Ranma's…
To not even be able to recognize whether what your heart was telling you was truth or lies?
Tears trailed down her cheeks too.
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So did ya like it? I hope so! See you next time!
Review if you'd like to.
