Cologne busied herself in her room, sifting through countless books and scrolls and personal notes she had accumulated over her three hundred years of life. Akane's description of what had happened to Ranma, along with what she sensed in the unconscious boy, troubled her.
She was no stranger to chis being drained, but this was something far more sinister. It sounded more like Ranma had his chi burned, rather than consumed, which was something she'd never heard of before. Looking through her literature on chis only confirmed that.
"Hmm..." Cologne thought about her future son-in-law's predicament.
"His condition can't be solved by simple time and mediation," she thought out loud. "Although..."
An idea suddenly popped into the elder's head, and she hopped down from her table. She quickly made her way to her potion rack, and pulled out the massive book of potion recipes. She desperately flipped through the pages, looking for the potion she had thought of, hoping it worked the way she wanted it to.
"Ah ha!" she remarked, having found the page.
"Great Grandmother? What you doing?" Shampoo asked from outside the door.
"Ah, nothing dear," she called back a little nervously. She didn't want to get Shampoo excited over something before she was sure how it worked. She only knew all too well how Shampoo could screw up even the simplest potions when her mind was on Ranma.
"Why don't you go ahead and start getting the place ready to open, dear?" she suggested. "I'll be done shortly."
"Ok, great grandmother," Shampoo called back.
Cologne waited while Shampoo's footsteps retreated down the stairs and then looked back down at the page. The potion would take half the day to make, and wouldn't work on its own. She would need to be very careful with this one.
Ranma ½: The Immortal Battle
By: OmegaGear
Chapter VII: Devotion
Akane groaned and stretched as she woke up from another nightmare. She didn't feel rested at all, but had no desire to go back to sleep, and forced herself up from leaning on Ranma's bedside. She glanced over at Ranma hopefully, but frowned when she was greeted by the exact same image she had fallen asleep to.
Ranma was still asleep in her coma, the instruments she was connected to beeping steadily. The same emotionless face.
Akane wiped away the tears lining her eyes and got to her feet. This was now the third day, and there was still no change at all. Ever so slightly, she was feeling her hope begin to waver.
How much longer is this going to take? she wondered. Ranma's never been out this long before.
A knock at the door caught Akane's attention. She didn't turn towards the door, but said "come in."
A nurse walked in quietly and closed the door behind her.
"I'm sorry to disturb you," she said sweetly. "I just need to check up on her readings real quick."
Akane nodded and stepped back to give the nurse some room to work. She watched with her head turned down as the nurse checked the various machines and scribbled notes on her clipboard.
"All done," she said.
The nurse stood up and turned to give Akane a supportive smile. She looked to be pretty young, maybe her early twenties. Her shoulder length golden brown hair framed her face nicely and curled just bit upwards at its tips, giving it volume.
"Everything's going to be okay," she said.
"You really think so?" Akane asked.
"I know so," the nurse said.
The nurse put her hand on Akane's shoulder and squeezed it gently before giving an even bigger smiled. Akane could see the sincerity in her face, and her honest belief that everything would work out. She found this feeling spreading into her, and perked up slightly.
"Thanks," she said.
"Of course," she said and walked past Akane. "Let me know if you need anything."
Akane watched the nurse leave and then returned her attention to Ranma. She found herself feeling ashamed at actually letting her hope slip while that nurse had remained so spirited.
I won't give up on you, ever.
- x -
Cologne was perched at her usual spot in the kitchen of her restaurant. She was cooking the orders as quickly as she could, using her kachu tenchi amaguriken training to her advantage. Usually she refrained from such practices, since it resulted in proportions being slightly off, but she needed the extra time between orders to overlook her potion brewing.
She had followed the recipe very closely, measuring everything to the drop, and adding them exactly as described. To her relief, the color changed as it should have, and it would be ready within the hour, just as the dinner rush ended, hopefully.
"What that?" Shampoo asked from the door to the kitchen.
"Just something for my old bones," she lied.
"What you mean? Great grandmother still strong!"
"And just how do you think I've kept up all these years, mmm?" she asked and squinted at her great grand-daughter.
"Aiya! you mean you been taking medicine?" Shampoo asked, shocked.
Cologne gave out a hearty laugh, and acted like she had been caught. "Even someone as old as me still has her pride in her body," she chuckled.
"Yeah, wouldn't want anyone to see what you look like with the mask off," Mousse mumbled from where he was washing the dishes.
Cologne twirled her staff and gave Mousse a mighty whack to the side of the head. She wanted to clock him right down on his dumb noggin, but didn't want to lose any dishes for the small pleasure.
"Anyways, dear, don't you worry," Cologne said while twirling her staff back to her. "It'll be another two hundred years before you have to worry about taking anything like this."
"Okay!" Shampoo said brightly.
Shampoo took her dishes over to Mousse and dumped them with an innocent hum. The force of the plates splashing into the sink drenched Mousse, leaving him a quacking mess while Shampoo hopped back safely. With a unconcerned giggle, Shampoo spun around and left with her next order.
Cologne watched the exchange with mild amusement. Such things happened so often, it really was starting to get sad. After the first hundred times, she just couldn't help, but start feeling a little sad for the helpless lout.
She watched Mousse quacking angrily for a second before returning to her cooking duties. While she cooked, she continued to contemplate how to best proceed once the potion was complete. She could handle the delivering the treatment herself, and wouldn't have trusted anyone else anyways. It was the matter of finding a second that troubled her.
Naturally, Shampoo would have volunteered, but there were outside risks involved. Once she explained things to Shampoo, Cologne was sure that she'd understand why she decided to overlook her.
"I don't bear ill will towards the poor girl," Cologne said to herself while she stirred a pot of soup, "but if someone's going to suffer, it won't be Shampoo."
Mousse had been so absorbed in his quacking, he didn't even hear Cologne scheming right next to him.
- x -
Akane was busy reading the notes Nabiki had dropped off for her when Kasumi arrived that evening. She gave her usual cheery hello and lifted a large bento.
"I thought you might be hungry," she said.
"Thanks, Kasumi," Akane said and took the bento. "I haven't even left this room to try the hospital's food."
"Oh, how sweet of you," Kasumi smiled.
Akane caught her sister's meaning, but made no effort to deny it. She just didn't see a point in it right now. Even if she were in the mood, she couldn't bring herself to yell at her eldest sister most of the time.
Kasumi watched her sister eat slowly and smiled. She noticed Akane was doing a lot better today, which made her feel a lot better. Having Ranma in such bad shape was bad enough. If both of them were in trouble, she feared their fathers would completely fall apart.
"So, how are you feeling, Akane?" she asked.
Akane put down her chopsticks and thought about how she was feeling. She was exhausted from not getting any solid sleep. She was being crushed by her immense guilt over Ranma being in the hospital. Despite all that, though, she still felt like her hope had been rejuvenated by the nurse in the morning.
"Okay, I guess," she answered.
"That's good," Kasumi said with a sweet smile.
"How's everyone else doing?"
"They're all holding up well," Kasumi answered, but her smile lost some of its brightness. "They all wanted to come, but I convinced them to give you your space. I know how worked up you get when there's so much going on."
"Thanks, Kasumi," Akane said and returned an earnest smile.
"Knock knock," Cologne said from the open door.
"Oh look, it's Shampoo's great grandmother," Kasumi said. "What brings you here?"
"What indeed?" Akane asked, her tone a little suspicious.
"I just came to see if there's been any change in son-in-law's condition," she said.
"I'm afraid not," Akane said sadly.
"Well, I'll have a look for myself," Cologne said while hopping onto the foot of Ranma's bed with her staff.
Cologne peered down on Ranma's unconscious body and reached out with her martial arts training. She used her trained senses to feel for any sign of Ranma's chi. A cold void is what met her as she reached into Ranma's body with her sixth sense, but deep down, in the redhead's heart, she felt the faintest speck.
"Mmm..." she mumbled and withdrew herself from Ranma's presence.
"Oh my, you sound like you saw something," Kasumi said.
"Yes, dear, I did," Cologne admitted.
"You did?" Akane said, now sounding hopeful.
"It wasn't much, but it was definitely there," she said and pointed down at the girl's chest. "Always count on son-in-law to be a fighter."
"Does that mean he's going to be okay?" Akane asked, sounding more hopeful than before.
Cologne closed her eyes and shook her head. "It's still too early to say for sure, I'm afraid."
Akane dropped her head and frowned. "Oh..."
Kasumi saw the hope face from her sister's face and felt her heart nearly break. She placed her hand on her shoulder and gave it a loving squeeze.
"Don't worry, Akane. Ranma will make it," she said.
"Speaking of which, I'd like to have a word with you, Akane," Cologne said.
The two Tendo sisters looked up at the elder Amazon with questioning eyes. Akane was wondering why she took on such a serious tone.
"If you don't mind, Kasumi," she added to the elder sister.
"Oh, of course," Kasumi bowed and left the room.
Cologne waited for the door to be closed and looked down at Akane Tendo. She found herself in an interesting situation. While she had nothing personal against the girl, her tribe's laws effectively made her an enemy. The laws also dictated that she could not directly solve Shampoo's problems for her, however, so she had no real reason to hate any of Ranma's other fiancés, and didn't. She was just there to provide support.
"Tell me, something dear. Do you want Ranma to wake up?" she asked bluntly.
"What? Of course I do!" Akane answered a little hotly. She was insulted that even Cologne could think she was that uncaring.
"Care to tell me why?"
"That's none of your business!" Akane replied and crossed her arms.
"Perhaps not, but I need to know," Cologne said without missing a beat.
"And why exactly do you need to know?" Akane asked. "What's it to you?"
"It's nothing to me," Cologne admitted. "But I need to make sure you're the right person for what I'm trying to do."
"And what are you trying to do, huh?"
Cologne rubbed her forehead. She always knew Akane was a stubborn one, but she didn't think it'd be this irritating.
"Listen, my dear. You have no reason to be so embarrassed with me. I'm far too old to be worried about young gossip."
Akane didn't say anything, but nodded and fought to get herself under control.
"That's better," Cologne said with an appreciative nod. "Now, give it to me straight. Do you care for him?"
Akane tensed at the question. Every fiber of her being wanted to scream no out of habit, but she forced herself to speak honestly.
"I little," she managed through clenched teeth.
Cologne sighed and rubbed her forehead again. She was old, but she wasn't blind or senile. She could see Akane cared for Ranma in a special way. Anyone that witnessed them regularly did, unless they were stupid. That wasn't enough, however. If Akane couldn't admit it to herself, there was no hope that things would work.
"I think I've made a mistake. I'll be going now," she said and hopped off the bed.
"No, wait!" Akane said desperately.
Cologne stopped at the door and looked back at the girl pleading for her to stay. She saw that look in Akane's eyes, the look that said she'd do anything, even if she wasn't willing to admit it. It was unlike the look her great granddaughter had when it came to Ranma. That was more determination to uphold law and honored tradition than true devotion.
"Well?" she asked.
Akane gulped down the lump in her throat and nodded.
"I really care about him," she finally admitted.
"Well, it's a start," Cologne said and chuckled.
Cologne hopped back onto the bed in front of where Akane was sitting and pulled out a small bottle from her robe.
"What's that?" Akane asked as she stared at the bottle of red liquid.
"This is a very special potion," Cologne said and set the bottle down.
"Will it help Ranma?"
Cologne shook her head. "It can only help, if you can."
"What do you mean?"
"There's plenty of potions that can help with healing, and recovering one's chi," Cologne explained. "Ranma's wounds are not that simple, however. He should, by all accounts, be dead."
Akane felt her chest lock up and ache at Cologne's words. Her serious tone left no room for interpretation.
"But son-in-law is a fighter, and has managed to hang on," Cologne added. She pointed down at the bottle. "This potion is meant to bring someone back from the very brink of death."
"Oh, so it will save Ranma!" Akane said with a now brightened face.
"Let me finish, dear," Cologne said sternly.
Akane sat back and nodded.
"This potion will bring a person back from the brink of death, but only if there's another person pulling them back."
"I don't understand."
"Listen very closely, Akane. This potion is consumed by both the person being healed, and a healer. If the healer is truly devoted, their chi will freely pass on from them to the person in need, and fill them."
"I see, so it's like donating blood, or an artery," Akane deduced.
"In a manner of speaking, but there are serious risks involved," Cologne warned.
"What kind of risks?"
"If the person doing the healing is not absolutely devoted, should there be any doubt, Ranma will die," Cologne said with as much seriousness as she could put into the words. "We won't get a second chance at this."
"Ranma will die?" Akane felt her heart sink again. She didn't know if it was right for her to gamble with his life like that. After all, there was still hope that he was going to recover on his own.
"There's one other thing to consider. You will be filling Ranma with your very life force to replace what he's lost. I'm afraid that even if it's a success, you will both be living half a lifespan."
Akane nearly choked at that detail. Now she had to think about whether or not she was willing to give up half of her life for Ranma. Strangely, she didn't struggle with that thought for long. Her only fear was how Ranma would react to her making that kind of sacrifice.
"I want you to think very carefully about this, Akane Tendo," Cologne said, adding the last name to show how much respect she had for her at this given time. "I know this is asking a lot of you."
Akane thought about it quietly. She was okay with living only half as long. She was sure of that. Living half a happy life was better than living a full, lonely life, right? On the other hand, it was silly for her to think she wouldn't meet someone down the road. She wasn't a bad catch.
Akane shook her head. She couldn't afford to think about that, because it meant there were doubts about Ranma. She had to figure out if she really was as devoted as Cologne seemed to think. Given their histories, she wondered why Cologne had even come to her at all. It implied a lot of things to the contrary of what she showed at any given time.
"Why me?" she asked.
"What's that, my dear?"
"Why not shampoo?"
Cologne figured Akane would ask that, and there was no way to get past the question except to be honest. Besides, if she couldn't be honest about why she was coming to Akane, how could she expect the girl to be any more honest?
"I can't trust Shampoo with something like this," she admitted.
"Why? Because you don't think she'd want to live half a life?" Akane figured that had to be it. It would also be hard for a person to conduct a ritual that cut their descendant's life in half.
"Oh, she'd accept a half life to satisfy her honor," Cologne said. "But honor is all it would be. She is devoted to our laws on pain of death, which isn't the same."
Akane let that process in her brain. Cologne had just claimed Shampoo wasn't as in love with Ranma as she seemed. At least, that's what Akane thought that meant. She couldn't believe this was happening.
"Are you sure about this?" Akane asked.
Cologne gave Akane a piercing gaze. Her uncertainty was troubling. If Akane was so unsure about this, Cologne wasn't sure if she wanted to try. But, if not Akane, then who else? She had very serious doubts that Shampoo's honor driven affection for Ranma would be strong enough.
"I am sure if anyone can do it, it's you," she said.
Akane felt Cologne's words fill her with energy. A lot of things could be said about the old woman, but she was as honorable as they came. She couldn't think of any time that she had outright lied. Maybe stretched things, but never lie.
"Still, I should probably see how everyone else feels about this," she found herself saying. She thought it was only right that at least Ranma's parents have a say in it.
"I'm afraid that's a bad idea," Cologne said. "There's reasons I wanted to speak to you privately about this. Involving more people only means the burden is that much greater. You need to set all of that aside if you choose to do this."
"I understand," Akane said. She completely understood Cologne's insistence on focus.
"I also felt it would be easier for you afterwards if no one else knew," Cologne added. "It'll be up to you if you want to keep your feelings a secret, and the price you paid."
Akane nodded. As hard as it would be to tell Ranma about that price, telling everyone else would be even tougher for the both of them. She was sure that once their parents found, it was all over. Married. Done.
Cologne observed Akane as she thought things through once more. She could still see lingering doubts appear in her eyes every now and then, but they weren't strong. She was starting to feel a little confident.
"Um, excuse me," Kasumi suddenly said, shocking them both.
Akane spun to look at her sister standing in the doorway while Cologne's eyes nearly popped out of her head.
"I'm sorry, I was concerned when I heard Akane yelling and well... I heard everything after that," Kasumi admitted bashfully.
"K-Kasumi..." Akane said nervously. She couldn't believe she had overheard. She knew what was going on, how she felt, and what stakes she was going to gamble with.
Cologne was sure her plan was completely shot now. Akane was literally in shock.
"Akane," Kasumi said as she regained her usual motherly quality.
The elder Tendo sister walked over and put her hands on Akane's shoulders. She looked her in the eyes and gave her the warmest smile she ever had.
"I know you will do it," she said.
Akane heard the words and her whole body felt warm. Kasumi didn't say she "can" do it. She said she "will" do it. Kasumi's faith fueled her own, and she clenched her hand into a fist.
"I'll do it!" she said confidently.
Cologne saw the determination in Akane's eyes and smiled. Yes, she is ready, she thought happily. She took the bottle and hopped down so she could pull out two tea cups from her robe.
"Akane, why don't you push that other bed over next to Ranma's while I set up," she said.
Akane got up and pushed the empty bed next to Ranma's so that they were almost touching. While she had been exhausted just moments ago, she felt no fatigue at all as she moved on her force of will alone.
"Kasumi, could you fetch me some hot water for some tea, please?"
"Of course," Kasumi said. She left the room and returned a couple minutes later with a large cup of hot water.
"Thank you, dear," Cologne said as she accepted the cup. She put some tea leaves into the two tea cups followed by the hot water. After letting the leaves steep for a moment, she then poured half of the potion into each cup and swirled them gently.
"What's the tea for?" Akane asked.
"I won't lie. This is going to taste pretty bad," Cologne said.
"That's fine with me," Akane said.
"Alright, now lay down in the bed next to Ranma and take his hand," Cologne ordered.
Akane did as she was told and exhaled slowly. She felt like she was about to fight for her life, and in a way, she was.
Cologne hopped down from the table with one of the tea cups and then very carefully handed it to Akane. Once Akane had the cup in her hand, Cologne hopped up onto the beds and stood between the two girls' heads.
"I'm glad you here, Kasumi," Cologne said. "I forgot this is much easier with a fourth. Could sit by Ranma with the other cup please?"
"Of course," Kasumi said and retrieved the cup.
Cologne fished out one last piece of equipment from her robe and handed it to Kasumi.
"Place this down Ranma's throat, dear," she said bluntly.
Kasumi took the item from Cologne. It was a funnel with a long tube attached to it. She didn't have to ask, as it was obviously needed in order to get the tea into Ranma. She nodded her understanding, and gently pushed the tube down Ranma's mouth.
"Okay, now, this is how it's going to work," Cologne said and waited for both sisters to look at her. "Akane, your hand linked with Ranma is going to act as the bridge, but the body naturally acts as dam for your chi. I will be using pressure points to open those dams. When I nod, drink the cup of tea in one gulp and you serve Ranma his. Be sure to remove the tube afterwards, as we don't want him choking once he wakes up."
Kasumi and Akane both nodded and Cologne rubbed her hands together. She inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. With quick strikes of her arms, she poked several spots along the two girls' chest, then shoulders, and finally their necks. As she struck the last pressure point, she nodded, and Akane drank the tea while Kasumi fed hers to Ranma.
Immediately, Akane fell unconscious.
"It's in your hands now, Akane Tendo," Cologne said.
"Um, you never said she'd be unconscious," Kasumi pointed out.
"Hmm?" Cologne looked over to Kasumi and suddenly felt embarrassed. "I didn't? Well, all the same, it's in her hands now."
Kasumi gently removed the tube from Ranma's mouth and nodded to the elder. She rested her hands in her lap and watched her sister.
- x -
Akane felt so strange. The tea had indeed tasted absolutely horrible, thanks to the potion, but it only lasted a second before she felt like her head had been hit by a truck. Then, she felt like she was falling, and a second later she felt completely weightless. Is that what it felt like to die?
Akane shook her head violently. "Can't think about that right now," she said.
Akane took a look around. She was surrounded by complete darkness, except for a sphere of blue light overhead. "I wonder what that is," Akane said in wonder. The sphere was quite large, nearly as big as her room was, compared to how large she was right now.
Looking away from the blue sphere, Akane saw Ranma laying next to her, in his male form. He was perfectly still, with his eyes closed, just like back in the hospital. They were laying next to each other with their hands linked, on what appeared to be water. She looked down at the ripples illuminated by the blue sphere above them, wondering what it represented.
Akane felt Ranma's ice cold hand in her own. Was this the mental representation of their chi? Akane wondered. What exactly was she supposed to do now? Akane sighed. She was completely lost. She looked over at Ranma again, wondering desperately what she had to do.
"If you are completely devoted, your chi will pass on to him" is what Cologne had said.
Akane looked at her hand holding Ranma's, but felt nothing passing through her. His hand remained cold to her touch and completely limp.
"Oh, Ranma, what now?" Akane asked, but got no answer. She slowly got to her feet and decided to try something. "Cologne did say a person had to pull him back from the brink of death," she said and began to pull on Ranma's hand.
To Akane's dismay, Ranma's body was like stone. It didn't even flinch, let alone move, when she tugged on his hand. She grabbed his hand with her other to increase her grip and pushed with both of her heels, but still nothing.
"Come on... move!" Akane grunted.
After another minute with no progress, Akane dropped down to her knees panting.
"Nothing!" Akane groaned. "He didn't move an inch!" She stared at Ranma desperately and then upwards to the blue sphere. "What am I supposed to do!" she yelled, expecting an answer to come from the light.
In answer, the light dimmed ever so slightly, making Akane's heart jump. No, no, no, no, no! she screamed in her mind. She didn't like that the light was dimming, because she was sure it was important for whatever thread Ranma was hanging on by. By reflex, she tried pulling on Ranma again, but still couldn't move him. "Argh! Why isn't this working!"
Akane stopped what she was doing and looked at their joined hands. She wondered if she had to keep holding it in this dream state. She decided there was no way she was going to risk it, but found their position uncomfortable. Moving over, she slowly turned her hand in his until their fingers were entwined, and straddled his waist.
Akane couldn't help but blush at the position they were now in, even if was only in their minds. She was straddling his waist with her left hand entwined with his right. It was like something out of a romance novel.
Sighing, Akane felt Ranma's cheek with her free hand. It was scary to feel him so cold. The lack of life in his face was so unlike him. Even in his sleep, Akane thought that Ranma looked content, rife with life. It was something she had come to admire about him. She wanted to see him like that again.
Akane looked up at the blue sphere to see it dimming again. It's light, which had once burned brightly like the sun now looked like it was covered in a shroud of fog. She was starting to feel defeated, and slumped down to look at Ranma.
"I don't know what I'm supposed to do, Ranma," she said sadly. "I thought this would be easy, but nothing's happening. What's worse, you'll die if I fail. It'll be all my fault."
Akane tightened her left hand around Ranma's and began to sob softly. No one could see this, not even Ranma. She could let it all out right here, with no fear of any consequences, good or bad.
"Maybe it's selfish, but I can't let you go," she said through her sobs. "Even if you hate me for paying such a high price, I just want you back. If you come back, I'll say all the things I should have said. I won't hide anymore. I won't run away, or anything. Please, just come back to me, and I'll forget all of the pain. I just want another chance."
Ranma remained cold and still, despite Akane's desperate pleas. The light above them continued to dim and Akane began to cry. "Please come back!" she shouted. "Please... I... love you."
As Akane spoke the last word, her body began to glow a golden light. She felt an intense warmth filling her hand and watched as her glow slowly spread to Ranma.
"This is..." Akane couldn't finish as she witnessed the glow completely surround Ranma, and felt his hand gently squeeze hers. His hand began to feel warm, and Akane felt herself overflowing with joy. The golden light that now covered them reached upward and joined the dim blue light. It coated the sphere and turned the darkness into blinding light.
- x -
Akane woke up first, feeling like she had just been through the most intense training session of her life. Her whole body was sore, and she could barely move as she struggled to look over at Ranma.
"Oh my, Akane's awake," Kasumi said.
"Welcome back, Akane Tendo," Cologne said. "You look rather weak, which means..." she looked over at the redhead expectantly.
Ranma gasped and opened her eyes slowly. She blinked several times and everyone watched in complete silence. When her vision finally focused, she discovered she was looking up into Kasumi's happy eyes.
"Kasumi," Ranma said weakly. "Didn't expect to see you first."
Kasumi giggled. "Akane's right next to you," she said happily.
Ranma looked over and saw Akane looking back from a hospital bed. She felt something warm squeeze her hand and looked down to see that Akane was holding hers.
"What happened?" Ranma asked. "The last thing I remember is that guy's ice cold aura cutting through me, but now... I'm so warm."
Akane and Kasumi both blushed for different reasons, although Ranma saw neither. Akane knew why he felt unusually warm, as did Kasumi.
Cologne chuckled. "Well, sonny boy, don't you worry about a thing. The important thing is you're back."
"The old ghoul," Ranma said weakly as she saw her for the first time.
Cologne let that one go, as she realized the poor girl had basically just come back from the dead, and probably wouldn't remember this anyways.
"Did you... heal me?" she asked.
"Nope. You have Akane to thank for that," Cologne said and hopped down from the bed. "Come on, Kasumi Tendo. Let's give these two some privacy. You two should get some rest."
Kasumi nodded and gave each of the two girls a quick peck on the cheek and whispered to her sister, "I'm proud of you."
Akane blushed and squeezed Ranma's hand again while the her sister left with Cologne. She only wished that Ranma was a guy right now, but was too happy to really care.
"Akane... what did you do?" Ranma asked.
"I'll tell you after we've gotten some rest," Akane said.
"Mmm... okay. Sounds good to me," Ranma agreed. She didn't think she'd be able to stay awake much longer anyways.
Akane wouldn't be able to contain her joy if she wasn't so worn out. It was the strangest feeling. She was completely exhausted, yet restless. She couldn't wait to wake up from however long this night of rest was.
Akane felt Ranma squeeze her hand and returned the squeeze. She didn't want to let go, for fear that it was all just a dream, and Ranma would suddenly disappear.
"Hey, before I pass out, I just wanted to say thanks," Ranma said.
"You're welcome," Akane said and felt a tear run down her cheek.
Akane used her free hand to wipe away the tear and sighed as she heard Ranma's soft snores next to her. She had done it. Ranma was back, and she wasn't going to take him for granted anymore.
With a sigh of contentment, Akane let herself fall asleep.
Author's notes: Good things come to those who wait, right? Right? Hard to believe it took me four years to finally release a new chapter, but this one gave me the worst writer's block I've ever had. At long last though, here is the continuation of my story.
As usual, any comments on this chapter, and the fanfic as a whole, are greatly appreciated.
