The Dragon Returns
The sky turned a clear black revealing every star in its brilliance. A crescent moon hung in the sky above the thick forest. The trees ahead of the small band were barely visible. The sound of branches breaking under foot echoed through the darkness.
"Ssshhh! Do you want everyone to hear us?" Ryoga grabbed Mousse by the collar
"We have already lost her, AGAIN. Who is going to hear us?"
"Wait I see something." Ranma slowly revealed himself from behind a tree; the two boys paused searching the darkness.
"Ahead, some kind of castle." Ranma walked cautiously toward the white stone wall becoming more visible with each step. He looked behind him at the group of martial artists beginning to feud yet again. "You guys better stay here while I look around. And try to be quiet."
They nodded back at him and continued their arguments. He shook his head and made his way around the side of the stone wall. He followed along the wall seeing various windows with nothing interesting him inside. A few woman sparring, empty rooms, the kitchen, he heard a grumbling sound from his stomach and remembered he hadn't eaten lunch or dinner, nearly starvation for Ranma. He pondered breaking in and pilfering some food, when out of the corner of his eye he saw a light come on from above. He was standing directly under a stone balcony. Curious, Ranma scaled the wall and poked his head through the stone slats. It was a master bedroom of sorts with a large bed draped with white and gold silks. In the middle of the room stood a small pool sized bath that could easily fit eight people.
The two women in the room frantically moved around the room preparing the bath and laying out clothes. The door to the room flung open suddenly two more women rushed in followed by Akane. The women continued to move around the room furiously. They urged Akane to take a bath after all the fighting she had done. Two of the women went to Akane and started to undress her. Ranma looked away as her shirt was coming off. He waited until after he heard her get out of the bath and what he thought would be a reasonable amount of time to dress, before he turned back into the room.
Akane's back was to the balcony she stood naked while the two girls put powder on her skin. He turned away quickly feeling a flush run through him. He pressed the back of his head against the wall and heard footsteps approaching. Akane walked past him dressed in a white sleeveless dressing gown with black fasteners only done to below her thighs. The cloth gown flowed down to the ground showing just her bare feet.
She placed her hands on the stone railing and looked up at the stars. The wind softly swirled around her hair, raising her dress slightly. She shivered still wet from the bath, her bare toes fidgeted making her seem like a little girl. The lonely expression on her face was quite visible to Ranma.
A vision of Ranma hung in her mind. 'How is he, so familiar' she continued to wonder about the days events. She laughed a little to herself and raised her hand to her cheek.
"Really thinking such things about a holy man." Ranma straightened wondering what she was thinking about. Akane quickly turned as her bedroom door opened. Ranma remained very still in the shadows not wanting to give himself away. She walked into the room to meet her guest. Ranma turned to look when it appeared to be safe.
A man walked up to Akane the first man Ranma had seen at this place. He was tall and thin, about 18 or 19, with dark brown hair, dressed in white Chinese clothes.
"Thank goodness your safe, I was so worried I thought I had lost you again." He held her hands in front of him. This irritated Ranma he clenched the stone railing tightly. The man sat in a chair still holding her hands in his, as she stood above him.
"Really it was nothing, but I was going to make a formal report to you. There was no need to-" The man interrupted her by throwing his arms around her, pushing his cheek to her chest, his arms wrapping around her bottom. She seemed quite shocked.
"I just had to see you and make sure you were ok." Bits of stone started to fall to the floor. "When will you be mine, my love?" The man asked looking up from her cleavage.
"When the Gold Dragon is defeated, I will be yours." She told him coldly as she looked away. The man let go and kissed her hand.
"Until then my sweet." He grinned at her wickedly. When he left the room Akane walked out to the balcony to find the left side of the railing completely destroyed. Bewildered, she again saw a picture of Ranma in her mind's eye and wondered what she would do.
"Shampoo knew Akane strange girl, she happy living with only women." Shampoo's eyes widen with happiness 'finally Shampoo get Ranma.'
"What are you saying, Akane is not like that. If she was she would have given in to Ranma a long time ago." Ryoga stood his fist clenched at the girl.
"Hey what is that supposed to mean?" Ranma grabbed Ryoga by the collar insulted.
"Can we continue with the story you said there was one guy right?" Ukyo said trying to bring the volume down so as not to attract attention. 'Maybe this guy will keep Akane and I will have Ranchan all to myself.' She thought to herself grinning.
"Yeah some sappy guy talking about a gold dragon." 'And groping her.' He bitterly remembered dropping Ryoga.
"One of those swordsmen that attacked Akane said something about a gold dragon as well. Mousse, Shampoo don't you know anything about these people." Ryoga looked to their two Chinese companions.
"I'm sure great grandmother know, but she never tell Shampoo. You ever heard of such amazons Mousse?" Mousse stood from his sitting position and joined the others.
"I remember as a child some tribal elders talking about the Green and Gold Dragons. It was some legend about a warrior tribe split apart a long time ago. There is supposed to be a huge battle that brings both halves back together, but that is all I can remember." Mousse said addressing a tree past the others. Shampoo threw a rock and hit him in the head, knocking him to the ground.
"When the gold dragon is defeated, this battle must be approaching." Ranma remember Akane's words to the man 'I will be yours.' "We have to get her outta here before then."
Ryoga agreed; Shampoo and Ukyo felt Akane should stay, while Mousse still lay on the ground unconscious. The leaves on the trees rustled around them unnaturally. They all became silent searching with their eyes and ears.
"Hieeeeee!" Dozens of amazons jumped down from the trees surrounding them. Shampoo pulled Mousse off the ground.
"Wake up stupid, this no time to take nap." Mousse muttered something intelligible.
The amazons pointed their staffs at the group motioning for them to go into the castle. Knowing when they were outnumbered the band turned and walked forward. They were brought into a great hall filled with female amazon warriors. At the end of the hall there was a gold chair on a platform.
The women kept them surrounded never lowering their staffs. All the amazons including their guards turned to look at the platform. Five men dressed in long white robes walked in from a doorway to the left on the platform. Four of the men stood either side of the gold chair; the fifth lifted the hood of his robe and sat down. Immediately Ranma recognized the man from Akane's room.
"Amethyst tell me, who are our visitors?" He looked at the leader of their guards.
"We found them sneaking around outside."
"I see." His eyes suddenly met Ranma's and widened with recognition. "I see indeed." He stared at Ranma smirking, his attention moved to the entrance as the doors opened. A band of guards dressed in white entered following Akane. She was dressed in a more formal outfit than before, green skintight shorts and a white sleeveless fitted jacket covering a green tank top. She had an empty dagger sheath strapped to her leg, and still wore the green gem on her arm. She walked past the group toward the man, and kneeled in front of him until he waved for her to stand. The cold expression remained on her face.
"Jade it's good to see you have returned safely." He stood and walked around her. "Tell me what has happened?"
"I was on a training mission in the forest with some of the tribe when we were ambushed."
"Assassins no doubt trying to take you again."
"It would appear that way, they said they were sent to take me to the Gold Dragon."
"Well then we must start the ceremony soon." She nodded and he turned his head toward her leg where she was wounded. "I see you were hurt."
"It is nothing, Garnet." The wound was almost completely healed by this time. He moved his hand and caressed her thigh; she stared past him not moving. She felt nothing.
Ranma could take no more of this and started to move toward them. All of the guards turned their staffs to his neck stopping his movement. He gritted his teeth angrily. Akane turned, her mouth opened with surprise.
"It appears this spy knows you." He walked around her toward Ranma.
"No they're not spies, they are priests like yourself." She turned to him with new emotion in her tone.
"Really, holy men like myself." He walked up to Ranma, restrained by the staffs at his throat. He smiled at Ranma wildly.
"Yes they helped us escape from the Gold Dragon's warriors I have faith in their honor. I'm sure they have just lost their way or perhaps the women have decided to accepted my offer to join us, they are excellent fighters."
"Well then perhaps they will show us their skill."
"Sure thing sugar, we'll do battle with your best fighter." Ukyo raised her fist and Shampoo agreed.
"Jade is our best. Will you spar with them?"
"Ah, sure." The guards released the two women but held the men.
"Which one go first?" Shampoo stood in front of Akane.
"Both." Akane said surprised, Ukyo and Shampoo looked at each other and smiled.
"Aiyah, if you lose you never marry that one, ok?" She stood pointing to Ranma.
"Sure I guess." She shook her head at such a strange request. The two girls yelled and ran at her, she laughed and quickly started to back flip.
"I never thought that I would ever see you again." Garnet said watching the women battle. Ranma looked up at him as he turned his head to met Ranma's glare. "Yes I know who you are and who she is, in fact I know about all of you."
"What are you doing with my fiancée?"
"Ex-fiancée boy. She will either defeat the Gold Dragon, marry me and bring our tribes together or she will lose to the Gold Dragon, marry him and bring our tribes together. Really it works out either way."
"Why did you pick Akane?" Ranma's blood was starting to boil.
"I have been looking for a woman to fulfill our legend for a long time. I happened upon you two on a trip to Japan. Her battle aura and fighting ability are tremendous; not to mention her purity fit the legend perfectly. Which I must thank you for that." He put his hand on Ranma's shoulder grinning all the while. Ranma growled at him. Garnet turned his head to watch Akane pounding the two girls with her spin kick.
"You know I have to admit I would much prefer it if she wins. For such a strong woman she is exceptionally soft and round to the touch." Ranma snapped and lunged toward him feeling the sting of the blades against his skin, drawing blood.
"Keep your hands off her or I'll kill you!"
The two women panted on the floor holding themselves up.
"Are you sure you don't want to join us. With some training you could be the best fighters we've ever had." Akane eyes glowed green, she was slightly out of breath, but invigorated. Akane looked over at the commotion with Ranma and Garnet. Blood ran down Ranma neck.
"Garnet we ARE letting them go, right?" She ran over leaving the two women to recuperate.
"Yes I think you are right, they are harmless." Akane looked into Ranma's eyes as he glared at Garnet. "Amethyst have your troops show them the way out. May I have a word with you, in private." The two walked off together, while the guards started to show them the way out without lowering their weapons.
"I hope you have a pleasant journey." Akane said sadly watching them leave.
"I have a feeling we'll be meeting again." Ranma reluctantly followed the amazons keeping his eyes on Akane. Ranma and company were forcibly removed from the castle and started to make their way through the forest.
"Now what Ranma, we can't just leave her there with that bastard." Ryoga said frustrated.
"I wasn't planning on it, we are going to take Akane outta there by force if we have to. I'll just sneak in there and drag her out."
Ranma, in female form, stealthily crept along the castle wall, while the others made camp about a mile or so away. Ranma sneaked into one of the empty rooms he had seen earlier. 'She is gonna come with me whether she likes it or not.' He walked through the hallways of the castle unnoticed by the passing amazons, his white shirt and black pants nearly identical to those of Akane's guards.
He walked by a training room and spotted Akane out of the corner of his eye. Ranma walked backwards and looked into the room. Akane's arms moved gracefully through the air as she practiced her kata. Her eyes closed in meditation. Ranma silently walked into the room. He wasn't sure of the actual specifics of his plan only that Akane was going to come with him.
"Hello there, is there anything I can do for you." Akane turned her back to the stranger continuing her meditation.
"Ah . . . I . . ." Akane stopped to look at Ranma.
"Sorry if I startled you. Do I know you? You seem so familiar, but I don't think I've ever seen you among the amazons before." Akane looked at her curiously, noticing her clothes. "Are you a new member of my personal guards?" Akane sat on the floor of the training hall and motioned Ranma to join her.
"Yes that's right . . . I'm new. I was assigned to be your personal bodyguard, you know all those kidnapping attempts." Ranma thought it sounded good enough.
"I can't believe Garnet! Does he think I am a little girl, how does he think I am going to beat the Gold Dragon with a bunch of body guards always shielding me." Akane almost looked like her normal self for a minute, but then she looked up at the girl in front of her and regained her composure.
"Sorry, I'm just tired." The lonely look came back to her face. Ranma wasn't sure what to make of this, she seemed to being have a personality problem.
"Why are you sorry, you didn't do nothin'."
"It's not good to let your emotions get the better of you, I have to keep my mind focused." Ranma was stunned maybe this wasn't really Akane. Then an idea hit him.
"Hey let's spar, that will clear your mind." 'And I can knock you out and we can leave.' Ranma smiled gleefully.
"Ok I can test how good my bodyguard truly is." Akane rolled on her back into a handstand and landed on her feet. Ranma watched then got to his feet, 'A quick victory will do.'
"Kachu Tenchin Amagurikan!" Ranma started right away with his chestnut fist attack, Akane blocked and dodged as many shots as she could while trying to get some distance from the girl. She took a few hard hits to the ribs before she could back flip out of the way.
"You are a lot faster than you look." Akane said slightly out of breath a grin passing across her face. She went at him with a back flip kick that Ranma barely avoided. She continued to kick and punch as Ranma defended himself. A few of the kicks hit Ranma's legs like a sledgehammer. 'Akane always had brute strength but this is ridiculous.' They each took turns attacking and defending, dodging and blocking for what seemed to be forever. 'Her stamina is much better than it used to be, I don't want to risk using my more powerful attacks on her. I just want to knock her out not kill her, why does she have to be so stubborn.' Ranma thought to himself getting frustrated.
'Wow this girl is definitely good, maybe even better than me.' Akane was feeling herself weaken she had to come up with something. 'Maybe I can distract her.'
"I'm amazed this is the longest I have ever sparred with anyone." Ranma grabbed Akane's arm as she tried a high punch. "You know, you have the nicest blue eyes."
"Huh?" Ranma was flustered 'what is she doing now?' Akane wrapped her leg around Ranma's bringing him to the ground.
"Do I win?" Akane said smiling, her knee in Ranma's stomach holding him down with her arms. Ranma glared up at her.
"That's not fair, you tricked me." Akane looked down at Ranma grinning.
"Gee, you're serious." She looked down scolding him. "We were only supposed to be sparring." She rolled back onto her knees, laughing.
"I thought you were the serious type?" Ranma lifted himself with his arms still lying on the floor.
"I know, I am, but even I get sick of it sometimes. I'm sorry I never asked your name."
"Oh its Ranma."
"Nice to meet you Ranma, I'm Jade, but you already knew that." Akane sat across form him and started to yawn feeling a twinge of pain from her side. She let out a moan wincing a little.
Ranma sat up immediately, "What's wrong?"
"Wow, you can really pack a punch. I think you broke one of my ribs." Akane took off her shirt still wearing a tight green tank top that stopped right below her breasts, showing a lot of cleavage. "Ugh, is there a bruise."
Akane straightened up moving her hand for Ranma to look. When Ranma didn't move she noticed the blush on the red head's face. Ranma moved his hands to touch her ribs. There was indeed a large bruise and probably a couple crack ribs from his chestnut fist attack. Akane winced when he pushed on her ribs. Ranma's face turned pale and he felt terrible hurting her so badly.
"Don't worry I'm fine, really." Akane, seeing the look on his face, felt guilty for making fun.
"I broke your ribs, I am supposed to protect you, not . . ."
"Come on stop that, I was joking I'll be good as new in the morning." Akane smiled sweetly as she always did. "Look I'll show you something, if it will make you feel better."
Akane stood and gave Ranma her hand. Ranma accepted and stood up. She took Ranma's hand and flew out of the training room down the hall into her bedroom.
"Ah . . . what are you gonna show me in here." 'Has she really been with a bunch of women for too long?'
"Well I didn't want any one else to see." Ranma gulped and wondered what she was going to do. "Well come here, I'm not going to bite."
He slowly obeyed walking to the middle of the room next to Akane.
"Give me your hand" Ranma raised his arm and Akane took his hand in hers and placed it on her bruised ribs. Heat coursed through Ranma's body. Akane closed her eyes and began to concentrate. Again the gem began to glow green, Ranma could feel the aura engulf him and beneath his hands he felt Akane's ribs heal themselves. Then it stopped and Akane was again looking into his eyes smiling. The bruise remained but her ribs were no longer broken and Ranma no longer felt the aching in his legs from their sparring.
"What the?" Ranma moved his head closer examining the bruise probing her with both hands.
"Hey I am not completely cured yah know."
"Oh, sorry. Um, how . . ." Akane giggled
"If I concentrate I can use my battle aura to heal myself, sometimes it takes a bit out of me."
"Well I'm glad THAT's what you wanted to show me." He said putting his hand behind his head with a laugh.
"What else would I show you?" Akane was confused by the girl's bizarre behavior. The doors to the room flew open and two amazon girls entered startling them both. Ranma recognized one of the girls from the battle earlier.
"Opal, what were you doing on the training mission this morning."
"Amethyst said I could go." The girl looked down fiddling with the buttons on her shirt.
"Well you should have known better, going out in your condition." Akane placed a hand on the girl's stomach. It was then that Ranma noticed the little tummy she had.
"You're pregnant!" Ranma shouted, "Sorry, I didn't . . ."
"Don't worry about it, and don't look so shocked I AM married. Jade who is your new friend?" The girl had a sweet glow about her. She had long dark hair and hazel eyes that looked motherly at Ranma.
"Oh this is Ranma, my bodyguard with iron fists." Akane raised her arm and showed the girls her bruise as they looked on in shock.
"Gee that looks like it really hurts." The other girl said. Ranma began to sulk back toward the corner when Akane grabbed his arm.
"Oh no, don't you start feeling bad again." Akane drew him close and smiled down at him.
The three girls sat down and started to discuss recent events. Ranma listened to the girl talk observing Akane closely. She kept a distance from the conversation, never really getting too emotionally involved. Sometimes she started to act normal and then she would pull herself back with the cold lonely expression that was sadly becoming her trademark.
The third girl, Ruby, commented on how envious she was of Opal having a child.
"Well do either of you think about having children?" Opal looked from Akane to Ranma. Both seemed taken back by the question.
"Well I never really thought about it." It was true Ranma really didn't consider the future too much. Akane on the other hand seemed to be reflecting on something and had even moved her hand to her stomach before shaking the thoughts off completely.
"No, it's not for me." Again her somber look had taken over. Ranma was surprised he assumed that all girls dreamed of raising families. It was just the girly thing to do.
"Well I guess even if you wanted to this is not exactly the best place to find guys. Well that is expect for you Opal, you found a real bad boy." Ruby grinned while elbowing Opal carefully.
"Hey he won't be our enemy for much longer. Jade will fix our tribes before my baby is born." Opal looked at Akane idealistically.
"Don't worry, everything is going to be fine, either way." She put her hand on the young mother's shoulder.
"Will you really have to marry one of them, what a sacrifice you are making for us?" Akane just shrugged looking away.
"Yah never know maybe the Gold Dragon will be really handsome and you can throw the fight" Ruby smiled at Akane nodding her head. Akane laughed and Ranma felt more relaxed. "Better yet, what about one of those cute boys that were here today? I think the boy with the bandana was the cutest and he looked very strong."
"Hah! That's a laugh." Ranma shouted 'Ryoga cuter than me, I don't think so.'
"I see so you think the other boy was cuter, right Ranma."
"Mou-I mean the guy in the glasses no way." Ranma was revolted at the thought.
"Not him their leader, the pig-tailed boy that was talking to Garnet."
"Oh him."
"Well what do you think Jade? It all sounds very romantic, a strong handsome stranger coming to steal you away." Akane straightened up her face reddening.
"I really don't think so."
"Well he was handsome wasn't he? Wasn't he?" Ruby got closer and closer to Akane face until she was almost on top of her.
"He did have nice hands and a gentle touch." Akane said sheepishly, while Ranma smirked next to her. "But that doesn't mean anything, just someone passing by and that is that."
"You never know, stranger things have happened." Ranma sat back with his arms behind his head.
The girls talked a little while longer, before leaving Akane and Ranma to sleep. Akane went to her closet and took out clothes for the two of them.
"Are you going to sleep in here, you are my bodyguard?" Ranma got the impression she really wanted him to stay, but wouldn't make a big deal about it. Ranma nodded and took the nightclothes Akane offered him.
"Yah know when they first came in I was half expecting it to be Garnet."
"Does he visit you a lot at night?" Ranma really hated him, putting her in such a compromising position. The man had no honor. He wondered what else he had tried to do.
"Not too often but sometimes. He is really anxious for us to be married. Men are inpatient about these things." Akane looked at him shyly then noticed his annoyed look. "But he has never really tried anything, he knows the legend."
"Not all men are like that you know."
"I have to admit I still don't remember much since I have returned. Garnet and the men I fight are the only men I have any knowledge of. That is until today." Akane started to take off her tank top and Ranma quickly turned around.
Akane put on the white night gown and turned to face Ranma's back. "Come on get changed so we can go to bed."
Without warning Akane took Ranma's shirt off revealing his bare skin. Akane turned Ranma around trying to get the nightgown on the girl's bare chest stunning her.
"My, I could only hope to have breasts that big." Akane giggled a little and put the nightgown over Ranma's head. He was flustered by their closeness, situations like this were always so uncomfortable.
"I am sure yours are fine." He gulped loudly
"Do you think so?" Akane held the material of her nightgown close to her skin looking down. Ranma looked down at them and then quickly turned away.
"They're perfect."
"You know you are a very interesting girl." She shook her head looking at the shorter girl, her cheeks now as red as her hair.
The two girls slept on the huge bed side-by-side, Ranma lie motionless with his eyes wide open. Akane slowly began to dose off. After vigorously trying to stay awake Ranma fell fast asleep. She awoke a few hours later with a start. He quickly got out of bed, remembering his companions. He changed into his clothes, walked to the bathtub in the middle of the room and dosed his female body with hot water.
Ranma walked over to the sleeping Akane, his intention to wrap her up in the blanket and take her away. A vision of Opal and Akane's promise hung in his mind. The only solution he could conceive was to bring the others here, help the tribe defeat this Gold Dragon and then take his fiancée home. With his fingertips he moved the hair from her face watching her stir slightly. He walked slowly to the balcony and jumped off.
Akane awoke slowly focusing her eyes on the figure on the balcony. She watched as the person vaulted over the balcony, pigtail blowing in the wind.
"Ranma?" She looked around groggily. 'No where.' She got up and walked to the balcony just in time to see the dark figure walk into the forest. Quickly she grabbed a backpack near the doorway and leapt off the balcony in pursuit.
As always none of these ideas our mine, they are owned by other people that I
can't remember the names of right now, excepting of course Rumiko Takahashi-who
could forget. Any C&C, "you suck" email to jlee011@sprintmail.com
Lin Lee