Chapter Six: The Island of Purpose
It didn't take long to find Kuno. Once the Pig-Tailed Girl and Nabiki were topside, Kuno found them. Hurling himself through the air at Ranma, arms wide, he received a strong boot to the face that floored him. Grabbing him by the collar of his keikogi, Ranma dragged him up the hill towards the old structure she'd seen there before.
"So this is where we're supposed to meet the Oracle?" Nabiki asked. Ranma stopped a moment, looking back at her. She was doing everything in her power to conceal what happened in the Cave of Doubts from her face, but Ranma could tell she was more shaken than she was willing to let on. But not knowing what to do, she decided just to drop it.
"Sort of," Ranma admitted. "The Oracle told me she wouldn't give us the answers we were looking for if I helped you, but she did sort of imply that she was still going to help us."
"Great," Nabiki grumbled. "So she's messing with us."
"What?"
"Nothing," Nabiki sighed. Steeling her eyes, she marched towards the structure near the top. She recognized the architecture as Grecian, which only raised more questions this far out into the Pacific. Questions she was going to have answered; she did not come all this way, suffer through that stupid cave, to leave empty-handed.
As the three rounded the top of the hill, Ranma dropped Kuno. The circular landing was ringed in bronze, with twelve columns standing at regularly spaced intervals, holding up the domed roof. Inside, the Oracle stood before a small, wooden chair. To the side of the chair, a bronze stand upheld a small bowl. Several sticks and chunks of wood sat in the bowl, burning with a flame that seemed to dance and flicker with every step.
Nabiki wasn't sure what she was expecting, but for the Oracle to simply stand there, watching them approach, unnerved her in a subtle way. There was something about her eyes, covered with the blindfold yet still locked immovably on their group that seemed to indicate something greater beneath the frail and unimposing shell she presented.
"You're back," the Oracle spoke bluntly. "I see that you were successful."
"Yeah," Ranma scratched the back of her head. "Took some doing, though."
"Your challenges have only just begun," The Oracle's mouth stretched wide into a malevolent grin. "The quest upon which you set out is one that has been walked by many a man. Few have ever returned alive and fewer still have succeeded. Select few hands have ever been laid upon the Golden Fleece of legend. King Aeetes of Colchis, King Jason of Iolcus, Commander Lucius Achaicus. These are names etched into the course of history, names that have been graced by the presence and the power of the Fleece."
"The Golden Fleece?" Ranma was as curious as Nabiki was skeptical. They'd come here seeking a means but this was the first time a name had been put to it.
"The Fleece is power. It is status. It is absolution. Borne into the world on the back of a ram gifted to Nephele from her secret lover Zeus and skinned from the ram by her son Phrixus, the Fleece is but one of many old signatures of Olympus remaining in the world of man. The man who controls the Fleece has power unrivaled in this world. Power to conquer. Power to destroy. Power to create. And, most important to your goal, power to take back that which you desire, even from the very depths of the Underworld itself."
This time was Nabiki's turn to speak up. Suspicion and no small amount of frustration were evident in her voice as she turned on the Oracle. "You know where it is, don't you?"
"Yes. I do."
"And you won't tell us, will you?"
"That is a choice that Ranma made for himself."
Nabiki scoffed. "So, you're supposed to know everything right? Then you already knew the choice he was going to make the moment you presented it to him. You knew he was going to come back for us and never had any intention of helping us. Is that true?"
The Oracle only smiled. "Nabiki Tendo. You understand much, yet you believe you understand more. That I know the outcome of the choices you make does not mean that I make them for you. Every decision that we make has repercussions far beyond this day. Every choice defines who we are, by which the future is shaped. Ranma was presented with two paths, each with its own outcome, and he has chosen his."
"Then what's the point? Why do we need to go out of our way if you still want us to find this thing?"
The Oracle smiled this time, with a warmth and fondness that unsettled Nabiki's frustration. "Because knowledge given is not the same as knowledge earned. It is brief and fleeting, and lasts no longer than the moment. I do not wish you to find the Golden Fleece, Nabiki. I serve only the future."
"Alright then," Nabiki was starting to cool down. "Then as a show of good faith, how about clearing something up for me?"
"You wish to know of Delphi," the Oracle responded.
"Yeah. Now, I was told Delphi's a city in Greece. You say Delphi's an island in the middle of the Pacific, and I still don't know how we actually got here."
"It is true," the Oracle admitted. "For centuries, we served our lord Apollo in the city of Delphi, in Greece. We continued to serve there until the day when Colchis fell, and Rome laid claim to our lands. Knowing that our ways would not be safe in the hands of foreigners, Lord Apollo enchanted this rock to be forever lost in the oceans. The only way to find it is to lose yourself in Poseidon's waters and follow your heart to our shore, as Ranma did these past weeks."
"But it's not Delphi," Nabiki responded.
"Is it not? Delphi is the land of the Oracle of Apollo. It is the site of Apollo's grace. Though our location may change, its purpose remains the same. "
"Hmm…" Nabiki stepped back, considering. Perhaps Ranma had been right the whole time they were at sea. She'd given him so much grief over it, too.
"Your companion is coming around," the Oracle gestured at the blue-clad heap on the ground. "We shall adjourn for this moment, and resume when he has woken. This is not merely Ranma's journey, nor is it yours. The future concerns all of you."
With this, the Oracle dismissed the three travelers, and took a seat in the chair, to watch the flames in the bowl dance. Her full focus seemed locked upon the flames, and once again Nabiki had the unnerving feeling that she could see even through the blindfold. She seemed to react very strongly to visual stimulation that should not be possible with a cloth so thick.
Dragging Kuno just down the hill a ways, Ranma looked at Nabiki. "I think she's real," Ranma admitted. "She seems to know a lot, and she knew all of us before we even started talking."
Kuno's eyes slid open slowly and he blinked, adjusting to the blurry sight of the two women above him. "What place is this now?"
"Delphi, Kuno-baby," Nabiki responded offhand. "We're…." She looked across, to Ranma. "I think we should tell him."
Ranma was struck with discomfort. They'd made it this far without revealing the painful truth to Kuno, but the Oracle would almost certainly make mention of it at some point. She already had once. Studying Kuno with her azure eyes, she took a deep breath, and then sighed. "I'll do it."
"You sure? I might be able to—"
"No," Ranma insisted. "It's Akane. I have to do it."
"Ranma…." Nabiki wasn't sure what to say.
"Look, when I was down in that cave, those ghost things said a lot of stuff. But they weren't far off with some of it. I've been running away from what happened because I didn't want to face it. We are going to save Akane, but that don't change what happened. I gotta do this. Not just for Akane or for Kuno. I have to hear myself say it."
Kneeling down, Ranma looked at Kuno. "Listen, Kuno…."
Kuno immediately grasped Ranma's left hand, squeezing it tightly between his. "You need speak no words, beauteous Pig-Tailed Girl. That you would declare your love for me here and now fills my heart with—"
Ranma's right hand found a home in Kuno's face, before she pulled her left free. "That's NOT what I was going to say."
Kuno responded simply by grabbing Ranma's head and pulling it close to his chest, cradling and stroking her hair. "We need no words between us, my love. Our—"
Pulling herself free with no small degree of effort and revulsion, Ranma grabbed Kuno's shoulders and looked him in the eyes, wanting to make sure he didn't pull anything else. "Look, Kuno, this is about Akane."
"You wish to speak of my love for the fair Akane Tendo," Kuno sighed. He'd gone over this conversation many times in his head. "True love is a firm and resolute ideal, that many are—"
"Kuno-baby, shut up for a second," Nabiki scolded.
"Look, Kuno," Ranma wasn't sure where to begin. "Something really bad happened to Akane back in Nerima. She was attacked by someone and…well, she…." Ranma stole a glance at Nabiki for just a second. Her eyes were resolute, and she nodded softly, ushering Ranma on. "Kuno…Akane's…she's dead."
A dread silence filled the air as Ranma's words floated around Kuno's head. His eyes blinked several times as he tried to process what his Pig-Tailed Girl was saying. After several seconds, he spoke, his voice slow, pained, and deliberate. "I do not understand. Why would you suggest such a tragedy?"
"Because it's true," Ranma insisted.
"The fair Akane Tendo is mighty indeed. She would not allow herself to be felled by any man!"
"She didn't 'allow herself', Kuno. It just happened."
"Why do you speak thusly?!" Kuno was getting frustrated. "Why would you—"
"It's true, Kuno-baby," Nabiki corroborated. "That's why we're here. We're looking for a way to get her back, and the Oracle says there is one. We're telling you now so you don't freak out if she brings it up. She's waiting for us to head back up, and then she's going to tell us what we need to do. Can you behave yourself?"
Ranma looked Kuno in the eyes as she spoke. "She isn't gone. Not for good. We're gonna get her back and everything's going to be like it was."
Kuno looked down at his legs for a moment, thinking. "If what you speak is true…then I shall cross the heavens and the earth for her!" Standing up firmly, he raised both hands in fists and turned his gaze to the sky, illuminated brilliantly by the surrogate sun above them. "No matter how far the journey, no matter how difficult the road may be, no matter how long the trail runs on, I—"
"Exactly how long is your speech gonna go on?" Ranma glared at him. "Come on, you idiot, we've got to talk to the Oracle."
"You return," the Oracle spoke as the trio reached her foundation once more. She looked to the left side of the group, addressing the kendo artist directly. "A hard truth can be one of the most difficult things to overcome, Tatewaki Kuno. You still do not believe entirely in what you have been told but you know that you cannot risk declaring falsehood only to learn that it is true, and that you could have done something had you been willing to take that chance. There are many lies and secrets that govern your road and you consistently choose to take the path of least resistance around them. But the day approaches when even your eyes will be forced to face the truth."
Kuno raised one eyebrow, curiously. "What is it that you speak of, strange blind woman?"
The Oracle merely smiled. "It is nothing. Three stand before me at the very start of their journey. The road ahead is long and perilous, but if you can learn to have faith in your abilities and in yourselves, you may yet prevail. The odds stand against you, but there is still hope." She looked to the center, to the red-headed girl before her. "Ranma Saotome," the name caused Kuno to wince and look around frantically, to no avail. "If it is answers you seek, then your first destination lies in Akiruno. Three things wait for you in Akiruno: an old friend, a new enemy, and a bitter rival. Find the distinction and seek to the very eye of combat itself, and you will find yourself two steps closer to your answers and to the Fleece."
"Akiruno?" Ranma questioned.
Nabiki fielded that question. "It's part of Tokyo, west of—"
"Oh, no, I know where Akiruno is," Ranma corrected. "Pops and I stopped there a couple of times when I was a kid. But there ain't a lot there that I can see helping out: a hospital, couple of schools, and it opens to the wilderness on the west side."
A repeat of "Seek the eye of combat," was the Oracle's only response, leaving Ranma to scratch his head quizzically.
"Alright," Ranma sighed. "I guess we'll figure out where to go once we get there."
"Stand warned," the Oracle's voice took a darker edge. "There are dangerous forces that will array themselves against you from the day you set foot in Akiruno. This, here and now, is the Point of No Return. If you go down this road, you will never be free from it again. The consequences of the choices you make here today will follow you to your grave."
"Yeah, what else is new," Ranma shrugged.
"There are four who will guide you on your quest. Each of the four stands under a star of Olympus, blessed by the gods who watch over this journey. You have already met these four once before. They set you on this journey, and each has chosen their champion. The first stands here on this very island." The Oracle gestured to a path, leading to the east, through the cliffs behind her structure. "Through here, you will find a small temple dedicated to our Lord Apollo, by whose grace and compassion you stand here today. Within that temple, you will find your first champion. May the light of Helios shine upon you."
The path ahead was thick with underbrush. It quickly became evident that no one had actually walked this way in quite some time. After a bit of puppy dog eyes, Ranma was able to get Kuno to go ahead first, using his bokken to break up the vines and branches that stretched across the small canyon. It was slow going, but better than trying to navigate the underbrush themselves.
"Did she creep you guys out too?" Ranma asked.
"Don't even get me started," Nabiki sighed. "First off, I don't know what that blindfold's for because she can clearly see, probably even better than we can. The way she answers questions before they're asked is completely unnerving, and a little bit irritating. She knows a lot more than she's telling us and she freely admits it. I don't like it. I feel…used."
Kuno scoffed, "Perhaps the great Nabiki Tendo simply does not like being the one who isn't holding all the cards, for once."
"That's not it at all," Nabiki gritted her teeth.
"I dunno," Ranma shrugged. "Kuno's got a point, and I can't believe those words just came out of my mouth. She makes you feel like you're not in control."
"Alright, fine," Nabiki looked away. "But there's still something wrong here. If she's supposed to know everything, then she already knows what she wants us to do. She isn't setting us up to do this just for the thrills. There's something bigger here."
Ranma was unconvinced. "Can't you just take it for what it is? She's trying to help us."
"No," Nabiki responded, "she isn't. She's trying to get us to do something, and she's pushing all the buttons that she knows will get us to. It's the perfect con: give us everything we want, tell us it can be ours, and then give us a vague set of instructions on how to go about it. And if she really can see the future, there's no limit to the complexity of the con she can set up."
"Or maybe she just wants to help us because we made it through that stupid cave."
"I don't buy it. People aren't that altruistic. They don't just give you stuff for free. What's in it for her?"
Raising his bokken and breaking down another set of branches before them, Kuno felt the need to interject. "If this is indeed a trap that we are walking into, then I, for one, shall enter it willingly. Perhaps the lady does mislead, but even still, is there any other option than to follow? If she speaks truth, this is the chance to save the fair Akane Tendo from her fate. And if she speaks falsehood, are we any worse off than if we chose to walk away now?"
Ranma and Nabiki both stopped walking and stared at Kuno for a few seconds. His words were as poetic as they were reckless and just a little bit stupid. But they weren't wrong. Nabiki swallowed hard, her hands brushing the remaining leaves and branches out of the way as she started following again. "I guess we don't have a choice. I still don't like it."
The Temple of Apollo was not as large and imposing as Ranma had pictured. It was a fairly small structure, standing twenty feet up at the top of a ten foot set of stairs. Carved in marble and with its large doors hanging open, just the slightest hint of bay laurel wafted out to greet the travelers. The interior was very simple, with four marble columns holding up the ceiling and a thin carpet leading to a statue in the back. The figure stood fifteen feet tall, his hair short and brusque. In one hand, he held a lyre close to his chest while the other lay outstretched towards the open door.
As the travelers entered, the doors suddenly thundered to a close behind them. Nabiki jumped at the sound, while Ranma and Kuno immediately whirled back towards the door, one falling into a martial stance, the other with bokken drawn. "This isn't good," Ranma muttered.
With the doors shut and no window in or out, the temple had become suddenly pitch black. "Trap?" Nabiki questioned the dark.
"The Oracle said we'd meet a guide here. I didn't see no guide coming in. Did you?"
"This hall stood empty," Kuno agreed. "We are alone."
As if in direct defiance of his statement, a small light suddenly breached the temple. A single golden ball of light hovered down from the ceiling, just slightly illuminating the area around it. Nabiki immediately backed away from it, putting Kuno and Ranma between herself and the strange, moving glow while Ranma studied it carefully.
"Welcome," a warm and comforting sound echoed in the temple. "Welcome to the island of Delphi. Welcome to my home."
At the sound of the voice, Ranma's tension turned to a wave of relief. "Hey, I remember you! You were in that alley that night. You're one of the little glowy balls that told me to come here!"
Nabiki blinked twice, then squinted her eyes at the little ball of light. Huh. Guess Ranma wasn't making these things up either.
"I am that," the ball responded, "and yet so much more." With these words, the ball retreated to the back of the temple, ascending into the air before lifting itself just before the statue's face. "I am the patron of this island. The spirit of love, of compassion, of poetry and so much more. I am the rider of the chariot which pulls the sun Helios across the sky." With these words, the light ball sank into the statue, its eyes suddenly springing open with a golden glow. A ball of golden energy appeared in his outstretched hand, brilliantly illuminating the temple. "I am Apollo, son of Zeus, brother to Artemis, god of Olympus."
"Apollo?" Kuno questioned. "Pig-Tailed Girl…you've been speaking with gods?"
Ranma was as flustered as Nabiki was confused. "I-I-I didn't know! They just showed up!"
Nabiki, ever watchful for a trick or con, wasn't entirely sure she bought it. "Hold up one second. If you're a god, and we can reasonably assume the other little faerie things Ranma saw are too, why would you suddenly take an interest in him? We all know what happened, but bad things happen to people every day. Do you turn up with a grand mystical quest for everyone who loses something dear to them? Because you sure didn't when mom…" She stopped there.
"You really are quite the untrusting one, aren't you?" Apollo asked. There was no malice or even frustration in his voice. In fact, the tone he took with her hit her harder than she'd been ready for. She was prepared to argue. She was prepared to fight. She was prepared for him to be upset at her breaking down his neat little game and have him start yelling, but this was something else.
His voice was sad, yet still kind. If anything, she could taste the bitter grain of pity. She wasn't entirely certain how to handle that. Clearing her throat, she answered, but there was an unsettling shake to her voice she wasn't entirely successful at concealing. "It's how people survive."
"And some people do," Apollo responded. "Still, others choose to live instead." Before she could have the chance to process and rebuke his words, Apollo continued. "There was nothing random about what happened to your sister," he told Nabiki, before turning his gaze down to Ranma, "and your fiancée. In the days to come, you will come to understand the meaning of these events you find yourself surrounded by. For now, know only that Olympus has taken a great deal of interest in the matters that surround both the Saotome and the Tendo families."
"What about our guide?" Ranma asked. "We were supposed to meet someone here, but there's nobody."
"Ah," Apollo replied, "That is where you are mistaken, Ranma Saotome. You see, already he stands here in this very room."
Ranma took another glance around the temple, but the place was empty. "No, it really looks like it's just us."
"You look too hard," Apollo smiled. "You miss what rests before your very eyes. A common trait among mortal man, but not one that is entirely absolute."
Ranma was very confused now. Who else was in here? Unless… "You don't mean…."
Nabiki was catching on now too. "You can't mean…"
"Step forward, Tatewaki Kuno."
"HIM?!" Incredulity was pasted across Ranma's face as she looked between Apollo and Kuno. Kuno, to his credit, looked almost as surprised. Stepping forward from the group, he approached the statue of Apollo.
"Tatewaki Kuno," Apollo began. "You have tried to follow the path of the samurai, but your road has been marred by obstacles, not the least of which are your own. You follow the call of love and allow it to guide you, but you have not yet come to understand what love truly means. Further, you are reckless and headstrong. There was a time when you knew what it meant to wield a sword, but your skills have made you complacent. You believe any fight can be won with the judicious amount of force, and your style has changed substantially since the days when you first began taking up kendo. You wield your sword as a mace, with reckless power. But you are not a barbarian, Tatewaki, you are a swordsman. Finesse. Patience. Tranquility. These are the traits that define a great swordsman. The ability to watch your opponent, to see how he moves, and to respond accordingly instead of rushing in with your sword blazing. You knew these once. One day, you may yet know them again."
"However, in spite of your shortcomings, you have shown a potential to become something more. You demonstrated the potential to be a true swordsman when you took on the training on Watermelon Island. You learned then what calm meant to the blade that you wield, but you lost that in favor of more of your reckless and downright dishonorable behavior towards the Pig-Tailed Girl and Akane Tendo."
"Some of your problems can be accredited to your upbringing. There is no one standing in this temple who had what could be considered an ordinary childhood. And there is no one in this temple who does not bear the emotional scars from their past. In fact, I would extend this to most of the people that you know."
"However, others stem largely from your own refusal to understand certain fundamental truths. You live your life in a comforting blanket of lies and falsehoods. This is the trait I find most distasteful about you. But still you are valiant in your own way. Though you fail time and again, you are ready to stand and fight for the Pig-Tailed Girl and for Akane Tendo. No matter how often your body is broken, you refuse to yield when your cause is love."
"This gives me hope for you yet. If you can learn to see the truth behind the falsehoods you surround yourself with, you may one day grow to be the samurai you believe you are. And so that is my gift to you. Do you accept?"
Kuno swallowed hard, taking a moment to consider what Apollo had said. Uncertainly, he looked to the statue, and with a nod of his head, said simply, "I accept."
Instantly, there was a crack of golden energy through the Temple. Kuno found himself lifted suddenly from the ground, suspended three feet in the air by the power of the Olympian. As the energy coursed through his body, a searing pain struck through his eyes. His mouth opened reflexively to scream, but he stifled it, biting his tongue as his mind erupted in a blaze of divine energy. After what seemed like an eternity but was actually only a minute, Kuno fell limp to the ground, breathing heavily and sweating profusely. His keikogi was stained with sweat and his hakama hung loose around him, and he wasn't sure he had the strength to stand just yet.
"You have been given the gift of Apollo's Truesight," the Olympian continued. "May the deceptions and trickeries of the world no longer be concealed from your eyes. From this day forward, Tatewaki, you will see the truth in all things, as we do. This is your gift. May the light of Helios guide you on your road ahead."
With those words, the light faded from the chamber and the doors opened again. Apollo was gone. Ranma and Nabiki had watched the energy flowing through Kuno; it looked incredibly painful. As he wrestled with himself on the ground, Nabiki was the first to approach him. "You okay?"
"I…." Kuno let out a few heavy breaths, then tried again. "I feel…different somehow. I'm not entirely certain what has transpired, but something has changed."
"Need a hand?" Nabiki offered.
"I am…I shall be fine," Kuno insisted, climbing to his feet. His legs nearly buckled, however, and he had to prop himself against a column to take a few breaths before trying again. "That was more intense than I had anticipated."
Scratching her head, Ranma turned towards the door. "Guess we're done here. Come on, we're still scheduled to go wander aimlessly around Akiruno until our feet fall off. Maybe Kuno's new eyes will show us a big neon sign that says "GO HERE" or something."
"I doubt it'll be that easy," Nabiki turned to follow Ranma out.
"Perhaps," Kuno answered, taking a shaky step towards the door. "But we may just be—" He stopped suddenly, staring at the retreating figures. Nabiki, he could see, was clearly fine. But there was something desperately wrong with his Pig-Tailed Girl.
As he watched her, he could see a fiery golden aura blazing around her. A silhouette overlaid against her, an image that he took a few moments to make out. But once it became clear, everything suddenly began to fall into place. It was the image of his nemesis, of Ranma Saotome, that walked with his beloved. Every action she took, he imitated. Every step, he took. Every slight movement of her wrist, he made.
He had long suspected some manner of trickery, but this was something else entirely. This has to be the gift that Apollo had given him, this Truesight that Apollo had spoken of. And after truly considering it for a few moments, everything became suddenly, painfully clear.
This was the evidence that could not be denied. The truth behind the mystery of the Pig-Tailed Girl. This…was the final clue that Ranma Saotome was somehow controlling his love. He had proof now, proof of the dark magicks that cur Saotome was working over her, and as soon as the opportunity presented itself, he would confront the villain with this knowledge, and he would see his love released from his influence, or he would see Saotome destroyed.
Yes. Of course. That had to be the answer. What else could there be?
The return trip was easier than the trip up. Kuno's Truesight prevented the phantoms of the cave from reaching him, making it a simple walk to the shoreboat for him. Though he remained behind with the women, that he could no longer see the phantoms made it difficult for him to appreciate the threat they still posed. This left Ranma and Nabiki to navigate back down. Ranma had conquered the Cave of Doubts, but Nabiki still had trouble with it.
"Just listen to my voice," Ranma assured her. Covering her eyes so she couldn't be tempted by the phantoms, Ranma walked slowly through the cave. "Follow my voice and you'll…."
"Your voice, Ranma?"
Ranma caught the problem as Nabiki pointed out. "Okay, new plan." Awkwardly, she reached out and took Nabiki by the wrist. "Um…is this okay?" In her experience with women, any unexpected physical contact would often lead to either an extraordinary amount of pain, or to a spontaneous attempt to cuddle Ranma to death typically followed by an extraordinary amount of pain.
"Yeah," Nabiki answered, keeping her eyes closed to block out anything the mists might throw at her. "Just…can we hurry?" She didn't want to linger in this place any longer than necessary.
"Alright," Ranma started forward, pulling Nabiki by the wrist. "If you hear anything before we're out of the cave, just don't listen to it."
As much as she hated being treated like this, she was more afraid of the Cave. She'd find the opportunity to reassert herself in the dominant position when they got back to the Akane, but for now…she just wanted out of the Cave of Doubts.
"How about you, Kuno? You need me to walk you down too?"
Kuno scratched his head, looking around. "The fog seemed thicker the last time we were here. No, I think I shall be fine. There doesn't appear to be anything here."
"There never was to begin with," Ranma affirmed.
It was four days out from Delphi when Nabiki and Ranma found themselves talking against the railing, where they had argued so many times before. The storm had remained at the island, leaving them a day and a half ago. Nabiki leaned out over the balcony, watching the waters move as Kuno steered the ship back towards Japan. Ranma leaned backwards, facing the other way, her face up at the sky.
There were so many things Nabiki needed to say right now. Thank you for saving my life. You were right. There really was a Delphi, there really is a way to save Akane. Thank you for not giving up on my sister, thank you for not giving up on me. So many words dancing at the edge of her mind, just waiting to be given voice and form. Finally, she opened her mouth to speak.
"So what are you going to do first when we get back to Japan?"
This earned her a sarcastic glare from Ranma. "Two words: hot water. The first thing I want to see is a kettle. I've been a woman for three weeks, and I'm officially over it.
"At least Kuno's off your back," Nabiki pointed out.
"Yeah. Still not sure what's up with that. Every now and then he gets that look like he's about to tackle me, but something stops him. He seems a little uncomfortable when I'm around."
"You think that 'see the truth' thing Apollo did to him might have something to do with it?"
Ranma stopped to consider the possibility. "…y'know, I certainly hope so. Do you know how much strain off my back that would be?"
"Don't get your hopes up," Nabiki said pointedly. "It's still Kuno."
"Yeah," Ranma admitted. "So what about you? What's the first thing you want to do?"
Nabiki stopped to think about that. "First thing I want to do…really, I just want to get to Akiruno. If there's anything that can help us find out who attacked Akane, I need to see it. And…" She stopped to consider a moment. "…there's something else."
"Hmm?" Ranma perked up.
"This thing that was used against Akane, this stuff that turned her blood purple…I think I've seen it before." Turning away from the ocean to look Ranma in the eyes, she cleared her throat. "I think it killed mom."
"That's…." Ranma looked back up to the sky, thinking. "That just raises more questions, don't it?"
"Someone's targeting my family," Nabiki affirmed. "Apollo said this wasn't random, and I believe him. But it's been so long since we lost mom. I just don't understand. If someone's coming after us, why now? Why wait so many years between attacks? There has to be more to it."
"Maybe we'll get lucky," Ranma shrugged. "We'll walk right into Akiruno, and there'll be a big board with all the answers we need on it. Nice and easy."
"You don't really believe that," Nabiki smiled a little.
"No, I don't. But it sure would be nice, wouldn't it? Nice and easy."
Elsewhere, in the wilderness just west of Akiruno stood what passed for a stadium. The stands were packed to witness an incredible fight between two powerful warriors. They came out three times a week to see the fights, and every one was exciting as the last. They came to cheer for their favorite fighter, for their hero.
An eruption of ki energy filled the stadium, a pillar of destruction that brought the fight to a sudden, swift close. As a single fighter remained standing, the people began to chant his name. "RONIN! RONIN! RONIN! RONIN!" To this, the fighter paid little attention. As he walked slowly back towards the fighters' entrance, the announcer came on the intercom. "Ladies and gentlemen, I give you your hero and still reigning champion, the incredible, the undefeatable, the invincible RONIN!!! And what an incredible fight that was!"
"Sure," the fighter muttered to himself. "Just another fight."