As Ranma and the others made their way to the west wing's dining hall, they barely said anything.
Upon reaching the double doors that lead to the dining hall, the boy turns around and says, "Okay, you guys get everything ready to go and I'll get Akane. Ryoga, could you take my bag to my room for me?"
"Sure," replied his friend, taking the pack.
"Hold on for one moment, Saotome," interrupted Kuno.
"What's wrong?" replied the younger teen.
"Why not wait until morning to return home?" he wondered.
"All right, let me answer your question with one of my own: Do you feel like explaining how six people suddenly appear from out of nowhere? Because if we wait for morning to go back, somebody's bound to see us. We would be safer doing it at night when no one is going to be around the school," answered the boy.
"You make a valid point, Saotome. I guess going home now is the best option after all," agreed the older boy.
"Now if you don't mind, I have something I need to do," said the teenager, walking away.
The others enter the dining hall and head to their individual rooms and start getting their things together.
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With one thought on his mind, the bandaged teenager headed in the direction of the Champion's wing. Not far behind the group was the Prince, who watched Ranma walk by. The teenager gets as far as the Arena before stopping. Trying to remember which direction he took when he was with Captain Johza, he takes one step to the left and stops again. The boy takes a step to the right, but stops once more.
'Which way was it?' he thought to himself.
"Excuse me, may I show you the way?" asked the Prince, walking past the confused youth.
Instead of waiting for Ranma to answer him, Tshugo continued walking.
Not wanting to trust the Prince again, the teenager hesitates.
Sensing the boy's reluctance to follow, Prince Tshugo stops and says, "Even though I might have deserved that punch to the face, you needn't worry, I won't try taking the potion from you. I've come to realize now that I shouldn't be fooling around with true love."
Ranma shot back, "Why should I trust anything you say?"
The Prince replies, "Because what I am saying comes from my heart. I wish to help you find the way to Akane's room and besides, you really don't have much of a choice but to trust me."
The teen says, "Fine," and begins to follow him.
They make it to the Champion's wing at the southern most part of the courtyard. The two of them walk thru the big wooden doorway leading to the Champion's dining hall and thru another door that led to the sleeping quarters of the Champions.
"I believe you'll want to be left alone?" said the Prince, closing the door behind him.
Going halfway down the corridor, Ranma reaches for the nearest doorknob. Unsure if it was the right door or not, he notices a bench not too far away. Remembering Captain Johza sat down on that bench, the boy knew it was the correct door.
Shutting the door behind him, the teenager slowly made his way over to the bed. Giving a slight smile, he grabbed the nearby chair and placed it right next to the bed. Sitting down, he never took his eyes off of her. Akane was still laying on the bed, just as her left her nearly a week ago. Reaching for her hand, Ranma takes the black felt box from it and puts it back in his pocket. Then he reached down his shirt and removes the leather necklace holding the tiny vial containing the Phoenix Tears potion from around his neck. He uses his teeth to take the glass stopper off the top of the vial. Using his pinky and ring fingers, he opens her mouth and pours the potion in. He closes her mouth as the potion slides down her throat. Leaving the vial at her side, he places his right hand in hers and holds it with a loose grip. And now he waits for the potion to take effect.
After a few minutes he puts his head down and thought, 'Maybe the potion didn't work.'
He was slightly startled when she gave his hand a squeeze. Looking up, he saw her eyes open and blink twice before she slowly sat up. Taking in her surroundings, it took her a second to realize she wasn't alone.
Staring at him, Akane asks, "How did I end up here?"
"You died," he answered, letting go of her hand.
"I did?" she said, with a mix of worry and surprise in her tone.
"Yeah you did, but we brought you back to life," he replied.
"How?" she wondered.
Ranma told her everything he could remember, from when she died to when she awoke.
When he finished, she asks, "You did all that for me?"
"Not just me, our fathers, Ryoga and even Kuno went along," answered the boy.
"Thank you," she said, leaning closer.
She thanked him with a quick kiss on the lips.
As she pulled away he asks, "Akane?"
"Hmm," she replied.
Reaching into his pocket he said, "I want you to have this."
She takes the little felt box from him with a confused look. "What's this?" she wondered.
"It's something I got a while ago and never had the courage to give it to you," he answered.
She opens the box and gasps. Inside was a gold ring. The ring had on it six white diamonds surrounding a solitary ruby in the middle.
"It's beautiful. I love it," she says, giving him a hug.
He took a sharp intake of breath and she releases him.
"Sorry," she apologized.
"Its okay, besides I thought you might like it," agreed Ranma, rubbing his bandaged shoulder, adding, "And I was hoping we could make it real."
"Make what real?" she wonders.
"Our engagement," said the boy.
"Oh," she says, closing the box, "Is that the only reason you're giving this to me now?"
"No its not. I figured if our engagement was real the others would back off and leave us alone," he explained.
"And what if they don't ?" she asked.
"It wouldn't matter, because we would know that it was real, even if they didn't want to believe it," answered Ranma.
She sat in silence, looking at the box in her hand. She tells him, "I love you, really I do and I know you love me, but I don't know if I'm ready for it right now. Can I think about it for a while?"
"You can take as long as you need to," he said, feeling a little hurt by her answer.
He stands to leave.
"Where are you going now?" she asked.
"I was going to give you some privacy so you could get dressed and get all your things packed. That way we can leave here as soon as possible before something else goes wrong," he replied, reaching for the doorknob, "I'll wait outside until you're ready."
She responded with a nod and got out of bed as he shut the door behind him.
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As they exited the Champion's wing, Akane asks, "Where are the others?"
"They're on the other side of the Arena," answered Ranma, shutting the big wooden door.
Just as they started walking she grabs his good hand and kisses him again. They reached the west wing and were greeted with three grins and one frown.
'No! I'm too late, Saotome has already put his spell back on my beloved Akane and I couldn't stop him,' thought Kuno, looking at his rival holding hands with the one he loves.
"Is everyone ready?" asked Ranma.
"Yeah we are. I even packed your bag for you," replied Ryoga, handing his friend's bag back to him.
"Thanks, Ryoga," says the teen, releasing Akane's hand.
He puts one strap over his shoulder and grabs her hand again.
"Then let's go," says the boy. And the group heads towards the front gate, only to be held up by Prince Tshugo.
"Now what?" said Ranma, getting irate.
"I can't let you leave just yet," replied the Prince.
"Why not?" asked Akane.
"Because," he started, "I want to give you this."
He hands her a bundled package.
"What's in it?" wondered the boy.
"In it are a few of the things I bought for her. Think of them as early wedding gifts. Also, I want to wish you two a long and happy life together," explained the Prince.
She accepted the gifts and thanked him before the entire group started walking again.
"Oh, by the way," added Tshugo, "You'll be needing this to get home."
He showed them the Dagger of Daishiun.
"What do we need that for?" wondered Ranma with a skeptical look.
"That thing brought you here," answered Akane.
"All right. I guess you'll be coming with us then?" asked the boy.
"Excellent. I hope you don't mind, but I brought along some torches to help light our way," replied Prince Tshugo, handing them out.
The torches were lit by the remaining matches Soun had brought along for the journey.
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"There is something I've been meaning to ask you," said Ranma, looking over at Prince Tshugo as everyone made their way towards the ripple's location.
"What's that?" replied the Prince.
The boy asks, "Whatever happened to the Captain?"
"Johza?" started Tshugo, "Well since there was still some daylight out, I had the nurse go and heal him, while I followed your group back to the castle. After helping you find Akane's room, I had ordered some soldiers to go and help Johza get back to the castle. I wouldn't be surprised if he was in bed right now resting up. How did he end up like that?"
The teenager gave the Prince a cocky, half-smile while telling him the details.
They eventually get to the spot where the gang appeared from, when Akane noticed a light on in a certain cottage nearby.
"Please excuse me for a moment," she said, letting go of Ranma's hand.
"Where are you going?" he asked.
"There are some people I want to say goodbye to," she called, heading for the cottage.
He shrugs and follows her.
She reaches the front door before he could catch up to her. She knocks on the door and hears a familiar voice say, "Coming."
A second later the door opens and Kym-Tai greets his guest, "Oh, it's you Akane, hello."
She returns the hello.
"Lei, could come here for a moment," he called to his wife.
She enters the living room and she sees why he called her, "Akane, its so good to see you again."
"Its nice to see you too," agreed the girl. "Where's Kym-Sui?" she wondered.
"I'm sorry. She's in bed, asleep," said The woman, before the small child ran past her.
"Akane, you came back," said the little girl, giving her friend a hug.
"Hey, Kym-Sui, I missed you too," replied Akane, returning the hug.
Kym-Sui looked behind her friend and saw Ranma standing fifteen feet away.
"Who's that?" she asked.
Looking back, the older girl notices him, smiles and whispers in the little girl's ear.
"Oh. He's cute," giggled Kym-Sui.
The little girl's response made her mother and father laugh.
Akane giggled too, when Kym-Tai asked, "Is that the guy you told me about?"
"Yeah, that's the guy," she answered, looking up at the man.
He waved and said hello to Ranma, who returned the friendly gesture with a confused look on his face.
When Kym-Sui finally stopped hugging her friend, Akane stood up and said, "I came here to tell you that I'm going home now."
"But I wanted you to stay here," cried the little girl, "And be my friend."
Looking at the small child, she tells her, "I'll always be your friend, but I need to go back to my home now. I can't stay here, no matter how much I would like to, its not possible. You understand, right?"
The child nodded, wrapping her arms around her mother's hips.
"I guess this is goodbye then," said Akane.
"I guess so," replied Kym-Tai, giving her a hug.
Kym-Lei gave her a hug too and adds, "You'll always be welcome to come back and visit."
"I'll try to, if I can," Akane assured her.
'Although I don't think I'll be able to,' said the girl to herself.
She returns to Ranma's side and calls to the family, "Goodbye. I'll miss you." and waves at them.
They return the wave, saying goodbye as well. They stand there as the young couple walks off.
"Kind of reminds you of us, doesn't it?" asked Kym-Tai to his wife.
She agrees, "Yes it does. I'm sure they'll be very happy together."
Shutting the door, they return their daughter to her bed.
Akane latches on to Ranma's good arm and then hugs him lightly.
"You're actually going to miss them? You barley know them," he says.
"I know them well enough to know they're good people," she replies as they catch up to the group.
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"If everyone's ready, I'll open the passageway," said the Prince, taking the dagger out of it's sheath.
"How can you cut anything when that dagger doesn't even have a blade?" asked Kuno.
"Something's are more than they appear to be," answered Tshugo, closing his eyes.
After the Prince mumbled something, an invisible blade began to glow with a golden radiance. Everyone stood in awe as Prince Tshugo used the dagger to slice open the night air to reveal a gateway to another world.
"The tear in the planes will stay as long as the dagger's blade is not removed from the hole it created," said the Prince, ushering his guests to enter the portal.
One by one, they entered, disappearing from sight. Before Ranma and Akane could enter, the Prince removed the dagger. The dagger's glowing blade faded away moments after being removed from the hole.
"Why did you do that?" asked the boy, getting mad.
"I have something to say before you two left," replied Tshugo.
The young couple watched as the tear in dimensions repaired itself with seamless precision.
"I have, what may be an unusual request: I want you to have the Dagger of Daishiun," said the Prince, holding the dagger out in front of himself, presenting it to them.
"Why give it to us?" wondered Akane.
"Think of it as a gift for showing me, that even a person of nobility like myself can make mistakes when trying to live a flawless life," explained Tshugo.
Glancing at each other, neither of them knew what to say.
"Please take it," he repeated, practically shoving the dagger into their possession.
"We can't accept it," said Ranma, pushing it back at the Prince.
"But I insist that you have it," replied Tshugo, putting the dagger in the boy's hand.
Returning it to the Prince again, the teenager says, "No matter how hard you try, I won't accept the dagger."
Exhaling loudly, Prince Tshugo asks, "May I ask as to why you won't accept the gift?"
"Because," started the boy, "Everyone makes mistakes; nobility or not; nobody can lead a perfect life. Everyone has flaws, they are what make us unique, but someone willing to admit their flaws and correct their mistakes can live a better life. You've shown the willingness to fix the things you have done wrong, which is why I think you should keep the dagger instead of giving it to us."
"I understand," answered Tshugo, closing his eyes again.
Once more, the Prince activated the Dagger of Daishiun and cut open the portal leading back to the two teenagers' world.
"Goodbye," said the Prince, holding the dagger high over his head.
She gave him a small smile and said goodbye as she walked thru the hole the dagger had made.
"You take care of yourself," said the boy, entering the vortex.
"I will," replied the Prince.
He removed the dagger a few seconds after Ranma had disappeared thru the tear in dimensions and watched as it repaired itself once again.
"Goodbye, my friends," he said out loud, while placing the blade-less dagger back into it's sheath.
