Forever Bound
Chapter 8, Family, Friends, and Trouble
Author's Notes: Okay, people here's the new chapter. I just got a new scanner and I'm still trying to work the kinks on it. Nothing to say about this chapter, but read it anyways. Send all comments and criticism to silverflame_maiden@hotmail.com.
Disclaimers: I do not own Ranma 1/2, Rumiko Takahashi does.
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Ranma groggily felt the dizziness leave him as he felt the unmerciful glare of the light on him. He sat up and found himself back at his apartment on his sofa with a blanket wrapped around himself. *What had happened?* he wondered, then remembered *...oh yeah...Akane...at the open house, she was Cay Xi's teacher...and she had a....daughter?!* Ranma's head began to ache and pound again.
"Ugg..." Ranma groaned as he heard a voice behind him.
"Oh, great, your finally up. Sheesh, Dad you always told me that nothing could surprise a real warrior up to the point where he would faint...then you go and fall flat on your face. I mean Bell-chan ain't no ordinary girl, but you didn't need to faint," Keichii scowled as he walked up beside his father and put a wet towel on his head.
"What? Who's Bell-chan?" Ranma asked not quite entirely awake yet.
Keichii rolled his eyes as he handed his father an advil and a glass of water, "Sheesh, Dad, don't you listen to me when I tell you stuff? Bell-chan is my teacher, Akane Tendo's daughter and my best friend. You know she was that kawaiikune tomboy that had malleted me earler." Ranma was broken from his foggy state of mind at Keichii's words. *So it's true! Akane has a daughter! Oh here comes that headache again...* Ranma thought. Keichii saw his father begin to move his head and lose counciousness so he lightly slapped him across the face. Ranma again woke up from his dizziness and slowly digested the information.
"So, how'd I get back to our apartment," Ranma questioned curiously.
"Well, after you fell...and didn't wake up for hours, Tendo-Sensei had to drive you home. She told me to tell you that she'll be waiting to see you at the dinner party at the Tendo dojo three days from now. She also said that if you decide not to bring me, then she'll personally come here and reintroduce you to Mr. Mallet. I say you bring me, dad, I met Mr. Mallet before, ouch!" Keichii said as he sat down next to his father with a cute pout on his face.
"Ha! I bet you didn't like Mr. Mallet, but why did Bell-...what was her whole name?" asked Ranma as he swallowed to advil.
"Belldandy, dad, her name is Belldandy Tendo," Keichii replied patiently.
"Yeah, well why did Belldandy have a pink mallet? Last time I recalled the mallet was brown," Ranma said as he bent down so that Keichii could clean his face with a damp washcloth.
"I don't know? It must be the only girly thing about that tomboy. Don't ask me how the girl mind works, dad. You know as much as I do. Hmph! All I said to her was reason that there wouldn't be a chance ever, in the history of time, would a girl like her beat me. Then, suddenly, boom...like a bomb or something, her kawaii face got all angry and she pulled this pink mallet outta nowhere and hit me across the room with it! I don't get it, I mean when we were training and the others tried hitting me with mallets, even those older then me, I could dodge all there blows without breaking a sweat and here is this...this...this...girl! She totally malleted me...hard...and I didn't even try to dodge...it was so wierd...I saw the blow coming...I knew what I had to do...but I couldn't! Am I lacking in my training, dad?" Keichii asked his father worridly.
Ranma just broke out laughing. He couldn't bring himself to stop laughing and Keichii's eyebrows crunched in frustration. *Sometimes, I just do not understand him...* Keichii sighed. Ranma saw his son's disapproving glare and unsuccessfully tried to calm himself down. After all, he had to teach the kid how to get himself out of these jams.
"So, then what happened?" he asked still trying to hold his chuckling in which only to create it to sound as snorts.
"Well, like I said, she suddenly became a tomboy all of a sudden, because a real girl wouldn't be knowing martial arts or smashing people with mallets. I mean if a real girl fought she'll be in a colorful miniskirt and holding pink rods and be princessess or something. So, Bell-chan suddenly became a tomboy so I said, "'What'chu do that for you kawaiikune tomboy?'" I was only joking! She took it all seriously and and malleted me into the floor saying I was a jerk. She has got to be the most uncute tomboy in all time!" Keichii exclaimed exasperatly.
"Believe me, Cay Xi, Belldandy is definitley not the most uncute tomboy of all time," Ranma said matter-a-factly.
"Oh, really, dad, like you've actually met such a tomboy before. I mean I know you faced pervert, demons, dragons, phoenixes, and kami, but you do not know what it feels like to be at the recieveing end of a mal-" Keichii reasoned as he sat down and turned on the t.v.
Ranma interrupted his rant, "No, son, I have been on the recieving blow of a tomboy before. I have a trick, though, on how to keep them from hitting you too hard."
Keichii's interest perked up and he asked, "How?"
"Easy, just distract them from their blow. If you insult them enough they are so angry that they can't see right and hit you directly to hurt, but just into the ground, or into the sky. I have a thing called the tomboy song and it goes like this, "Her thighs are too thick, she's built like a stick, she can't even kick, she can't throw a brick...the TOMBOY!" Ranma sang loudly and off tune as Keichii stared wide-eyed and started laughing.
That night Ranma Saotome decided to be a good father to his son from now on and not only drive his son to school, but walk him into the classroom as well.
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(Three days later, Tendo Dojo)
Ranma stood nervously on the doorstep of the Tendo Dojo by Akane who was holding Keichii in her arms. Saying Ranma Saotome was nervous at the moment, was saying the sun was a bit overweight.
"Stop fidgeting, Ranma, and hide up in that tree until I call you to come into the house," Akane whispered harshly.
"I still don't know why I can't just walk in there and get it over with," Ranma shrugged.
"I want to get them ready for your arrival, first," reasoned Akane. Ranma was about to complain again, but one stern look from Akane shut him up and he jumped up into one of the trees. *Man, someday I gotta find a way to stop myself from being ordered around like that...* Ranma thought before he looked down and saw Akane knock on the door *...but it's not so bad if she orders me around...*
Akane knocked twice before opening the door. She saw Soun and Genma sit across from each other playing a new game that they just discovered, chinese chess, and Nodoka talking with Dr. Tofu about the eating habits of Panda bears. Kasumi and Ukyo were in the kitchen and Ryoga and Shiro sat having a heated conversation if eating pork was wrong or not. Akari sat on the floor watching Ryoko, Belldandy, and Tofu jr. argue about who was it in their next Martial Arts Freeze tag game.
Akane cleared her throat, "E-excuse me! Can Ucchan and Onnechan come into the living room please, I have something important to say." Ukyo and Kasumi walked into the living room looking curiously at Akane as they took their seats next to their husbands. With everyone's attention to her, Akane suddenly wondered how a roomful of people could make her more nervous then an Auditorium full of people.
Belldandy looked up and as she saw Keichii she sniffed, she never had really forgiven Keichii for singing the tomboy song about her, Keichii looked hurt for a second before he pulled down his bottom eyelid and stuck his tongue out at her.
"Okay, stop it you two. Now what I wanted everyone to know is that I'd like you to meet someone. This is Keichii, he is a student of mind, and is a very good martial artist," Akane said as everyone stared blankly at her. Though no one spoke, Akane could hear the strong "yeah, so?" in everyone's minds.
"See, the person I wanted you to meet was Keichii's father who you all know. You can come in now!" yelled Akane. Ranma walked nervously into the room almost feeling the thick shock in the room. Everyone just stared wide-eyed at him not saying anything. Suddenly, everything happened like a loud boom.
Soun, Genma, and Nodoka burst into tears as they and Kasumi and Tofu went to hug Ranma. Nabiki, just inspected her nails trying not to seem too bored as the three children watched on curiously. Ryoga held Akari's hand and looked at Ranma quizzically and Ukyo held onto her Shiro's hand tighter for support.
After Ranma managed to get the adults off of him, he turned to Ryoga and gave him a crooked grin, "Hey, P-chan, how ya doin?"
Ryoga just scartched the back of his head and smiled uncertainly back. "Fine, I guess...welcome back Ranma," he said as if he was talking to a stranger. Someone he had known once, but had no effect on him now. Ranma stared at Ryoga's response and shook it off. He turned to Ukyo and said, "Hi Ucchan, how's the baby?"
Ukyo tightened her grip on her husband's hand and her lips became a thin line as she held back the tears. "Shiro, I don't feel too well, take me back to the resteraunt, please. Ryoko, we're going home, "she said as she pulled at Ryoko and and Shiro's arm towards the door.
Ranma grabbed Ukyo's elbow and said desperatly, "Wait, Ucchan, don't go, you arn't still mad, are ya?"
Ukyo turned her fiery gaze at Ranma and whispered so harshly and sharply Ranma winced, "Let, go, *Ran Mae*. We do not know each other, so I ask that you do not speak so informally towards me. The only man allowed to call me Ucchan beside Ryo-chan and Shi-chan is *dead*, you hear me? *D-E-A-D, DEAD!* He died the night Shampoo left for China, and *his* Ucchan died with him. My name is Ukyo-san, and you shall address me as such!" Ranma internally cringed at her every word and he felt as if his last breath was punched from him. Ukyo ran out of the door and Ranma could see Akane and Ryoga out of the corner of his eye. He knew they wanted to run after her, but it was his job this time, so he did.
"Ucchan, wait up!" Ranma yelled hoping he had not lost his life-long best friend.
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Ukyo ran back to her resteraunt and closed the door, not bothering to lock it. She went behind the counter and started cooking as she cried. Soon, she heard the door open and someone sit down.
"One house special Okonomiyaki, please?" Ranma said quietly.
Ukyo looked up from her grill and yelled, "Get out!"
Ranma didn't budge, but looked straight at her.
"Not, until I get my best friend back!" he yelled back.
"Too bad, didn't you hear me Ranma, she's dead! She died the day, you left her...how could you desert me Ran-chan, how could you? I thought we were friends," Ukyo sobbed as she buried her face in on her counter. Ranma petted her hair and repeated over and over again, "I'm so sorry...Ucchan, So sorry..."
"Ucchan, why are you so mad? D-do you still love me?" Ranma asked hesitently.
Ukyo looked up at him, "Of course not, at least not like I used to. I love Shiro, now, but Ran-chan. I'm hurt...because y-you deserted me. I thought we were best friends, I thought I could trust you, I thought friends stuck together..."
Ranma looked apologetic at Ukyo and said, "Ukyo, I'm so sorry, but I had to leave. It was the only way to hold my honor...please forgive me..." Ranma gulped, "...Akane has...she's moved on...she says we should be friends..."
Ukyo just moved silently back to her grill and shook her head *Oh, Ran-chan, if only you knew...*
Ranma waited impatiently as Ukyo continued to cook on the grill and seemed deep in thought. Ukyo finally took the Okonomiyaki off the grill and put sauce and the finishing touches on it. She put it on a plate and gave it to Ranma.
Ranma looked down at his Okonomiyaki and smiled. On the Okonomiyaki read: Friends? Ranma looked up to see a smiling Ukyo and he went to hug her glad for once the same word that brought him so much pain has brought him happiness too.
"You forgive me, Ucchan?" Ranma whispered.
"I do forgive you Ran-chan, I have along time ago, but if you ever go and pull a stunt like that again, I'll make a new Okonimayaki called Ran-chan Okonomoyaki," Ukyo joked.
So hand in hand the two life-long friends walked away from Ucchan's Okonomiyaki.
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The man stared out the plane window appearing nervous. He turned around as his beautiful wife gave him a squeeze in the hand for reassurance. *No need to be afraid...* he told himself *...she won't be there* Yet, though the man loved his wife dearly and his two children more then life itself...he couldn't forget. He still remembered *her* smile, *her* laugh, *her* energy, like a fond memory now. He had let go, yet why does he still wish for something more to remember her by? He laughed one last time at the memory of his lilac-haired Amazon holding Mu-Mu in her arms, as the plane headed off in the direction of Nerima, Japan, a place the man never hoped to see again.
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The fire crackled as a green-haired woman sat poking at it. The woman was in her mid-fifties yet still held the apperance of a 34-year-old. Her tall, lithe built and dazzling hazel eyes only enhanced this. The woman missed her family and village greatly, but what could she do? She didn't even really wanted to go out on this futiless mission, but the elders words were the law. *I'm sorry, Ran Mae, you failed to bring Cay Xi back to the village in due time...now I must do my part and retrieve Cologne's heir...* she thought as she slept and the night rolled on. The next morning, no trace was left of the woman except for the blowing ashes of a long-dead fire dancing in the wind.
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Author's Notes: So there ya have it? This came to me in the middle of the night and I just had to write it down. Well I hope all of you are happy that I posted my next chapter! :) Ja Ne.
Chapter 8, Family, Friends, and Trouble
Author's Notes: Okay, people here's the new chapter. I just got a new scanner and I'm still trying to work the kinks on it. Nothing to say about this chapter, but read it anyways. Send all comments and criticism to silverflame_maiden@hotmail.com.
Disclaimers: I do not own Ranma 1/2, Rumiko Takahashi does.
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Ranma groggily felt the dizziness leave him as he felt the unmerciful glare of the light on him. He sat up and found himself back at his apartment on his sofa with a blanket wrapped around himself. *What had happened?* he wondered, then remembered *...oh yeah...Akane...at the open house, she was Cay Xi's teacher...and she had a....daughter?!* Ranma's head began to ache and pound again.
"Ugg..." Ranma groaned as he heard a voice behind him.
"Oh, great, your finally up. Sheesh, Dad you always told me that nothing could surprise a real warrior up to the point where he would faint...then you go and fall flat on your face. I mean Bell-chan ain't no ordinary girl, but you didn't need to faint," Keichii scowled as he walked up beside his father and put a wet towel on his head.
"What? Who's Bell-chan?" Ranma asked not quite entirely awake yet.
Keichii rolled his eyes as he handed his father an advil and a glass of water, "Sheesh, Dad, don't you listen to me when I tell you stuff? Bell-chan is my teacher, Akane Tendo's daughter and my best friend. You know she was that kawaiikune tomboy that had malleted me earler." Ranma was broken from his foggy state of mind at Keichii's words. *So it's true! Akane has a daughter! Oh here comes that headache again...* Ranma thought. Keichii saw his father begin to move his head and lose counciousness so he lightly slapped him across the face. Ranma again woke up from his dizziness and slowly digested the information.
"So, how'd I get back to our apartment," Ranma questioned curiously.
"Well, after you fell...and didn't wake up for hours, Tendo-Sensei had to drive you home. She told me to tell you that she'll be waiting to see you at the dinner party at the Tendo dojo three days from now. She also said that if you decide not to bring me, then she'll personally come here and reintroduce you to Mr. Mallet. I say you bring me, dad, I met Mr. Mallet before, ouch!" Keichii said as he sat down next to his father with a cute pout on his face.
"Ha! I bet you didn't like Mr. Mallet, but why did Bell-...what was her whole name?" asked Ranma as he swallowed to advil.
"Belldandy, dad, her name is Belldandy Tendo," Keichii replied patiently.
"Yeah, well why did Belldandy have a pink mallet? Last time I recalled the mallet was brown," Ranma said as he bent down so that Keichii could clean his face with a damp washcloth.
"I don't know? It must be the only girly thing about that tomboy. Don't ask me how the girl mind works, dad. You know as much as I do. Hmph! All I said to her was reason that there wouldn't be a chance ever, in the history of time, would a girl like her beat me. Then, suddenly, boom...like a bomb or something, her kawaii face got all angry and she pulled this pink mallet outta nowhere and hit me across the room with it! I don't get it, I mean when we were training and the others tried hitting me with mallets, even those older then me, I could dodge all there blows without breaking a sweat and here is this...this...this...girl! She totally malleted me...hard...and I didn't even try to dodge...it was so wierd...I saw the blow coming...I knew what I had to do...but I couldn't! Am I lacking in my training, dad?" Keichii asked his father worridly.
Ranma just broke out laughing. He couldn't bring himself to stop laughing and Keichii's eyebrows crunched in frustration. *Sometimes, I just do not understand him...* Keichii sighed. Ranma saw his son's disapproving glare and unsuccessfully tried to calm himself down. After all, he had to teach the kid how to get himself out of these jams.
"So, then what happened?" he asked still trying to hold his chuckling in which only to create it to sound as snorts.
"Well, like I said, she suddenly became a tomboy all of a sudden, because a real girl wouldn't be knowing martial arts or smashing people with mallets. I mean if a real girl fought she'll be in a colorful miniskirt and holding pink rods and be princessess or something. So, Bell-chan suddenly became a tomboy so I said, "'What'chu do that for you kawaiikune tomboy?'" I was only joking! She took it all seriously and and malleted me into the floor saying I was a jerk. She has got to be the most uncute tomboy in all time!" Keichii exclaimed exasperatly.
"Believe me, Cay Xi, Belldandy is definitley not the most uncute tomboy of all time," Ranma said matter-a-factly.
"Oh, really, dad, like you've actually met such a tomboy before. I mean I know you faced pervert, demons, dragons, phoenixes, and kami, but you do not know what it feels like to be at the recieveing end of a mal-" Keichii reasoned as he sat down and turned on the t.v.
Ranma interrupted his rant, "No, son, I have been on the recieving blow of a tomboy before. I have a trick, though, on how to keep them from hitting you too hard."
Keichii's interest perked up and he asked, "How?"
"Easy, just distract them from their blow. If you insult them enough they are so angry that they can't see right and hit you directly to hurt, but just into the ground, or into the sky. I have a thing called the tomboy song and it goes like this, "Her thighs are too thick, she's built like a stick, she can't even kick, she can't throw a brick...the TOMBOY!" Ranma sang loudly and off tune as Keichii stared wide-eyed and started laughing.
That night Ranma Saotome decided to be a good father to his son from now on and not only drive his son to school, but walk him into the classroom as well.
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(Three days later, Tendo Dojo)
Ranma stood nervously on the doorstep of the Tendo Dojo by Akane who was holding Keichii in her arms. Saying Ranma Saotome was nervous at the moment, was saying the sun was a bit overweight.
"Stop fidgeting, Ranma, and hide up in that tree until I call you to come into the house," Akane whispered harshly.
"I still don't know why I can't just walk in there and get it over with," Ranma shrugged.
"I want to get them ready for your arrival, first," reasoned Akane. Ranma was about to complain again, but one stern look from Akane shut him up and he jumped up into one of the trees. *Man, someday I gotta find a way to stop myself from being ordered around like that...* Ranma thought before he looked down and saw Akane knock on the door *...but it's not so bad if she orders me around...*
Akane knocked twice before opening the door. She saw Soun and Genma sit across from each other playing a new game that they just discovered, chinese chess, and Nodoka talking with Dr. Tofu about the eating habits of Panda bears. Kasumi and Ukyo were in the kitchen and Ryoga and Shiro sat having a heated conversation if eating pork was wrong or not. Akari sat on the floor watching Ryoko, Belldandy, and Tofu jr. argue about who was it in their next Martial Arts Freeze tag game.
Akane cleared her throat, "E-excuse me! Can Ucchan and Onnechan come into the living room please, I have something important to say." Ukyo and Kasumi walked into the living room looking curiously at Akane as they took their seats next to their husbands. With everyone's attention to her, Akane suddenly wondered how a roomful of people could make her more nervous then an Auditorium full of people.
Belldandy looked up and as she saw Keichii she sniffed, she never had really forgiven Keichii for singing the tomboy song about her, Keichii looked hurt for a second before he pulled down his bottom eyelid and stuck his tongue out at her.
"Okay, stop it you two. Now what I wanted everyone to know is that I'd like you to meet someone. This is Keichii, he is a student of mind, and is a very good martial artist," Akane said as everyone stared blankly at her. Though no one spoke, Akane could hear the strong "yeah, so?" in everyone's minds.
"See, the person I wanted you to meet was Keichii's father who you all know. You can come in now!" yelled Akane. Ranma walked nervously into the room almost feeling the thick shock in the room. Everyone just stared wide-eyed at him not saying anything. Suddenly, everything happened like a loud boom.
Soun, Genma, and Nodoka burst into tears as they and Kasumi and Tofu went to hug Ranma. Nabiki, just inspected her nails trying not to seem too bored as the three children watched on curiously. Ryoga held Akari's hand and looked at Ranma quizzically and Ukyo held onto her Shiro's hand tighter for support.
After Ranma managed to get the adults off of him, he turned to Ryoga and gave him a crooked grin, "Hey, P-chan, how ya doin?"
Ryoga just scartched the back of his head and smiled uncertainly back. "Fine, I guess...welcome back Ranma," he said as if he was talking to a stranger. Someone he had known once, but had no effect on him now. Ranma stared at Ryoga's response and shook it off. He turned to Ukyo and said, "Hi Ucchan, how's the baby?"
Ukyo tightened her grip on her husband's hand and her lips became a thin line as she held back the tears. "Shiro, I don't feel too well, take me back to the resteraunt, please. Ryoko, we're going home, "she said as she pulled at Ryoko and and Shiro's arm towards the door.
Ranma grabbed Ukyo's elbow and said desperatly, "Wait, Ucchan, don't go, you arn't still mad, are ya?"
Ukyo turned her fiery gaze at Ranma and whispered so harshly and sharply Ranma winced, "Let, go, *Ran Mae*. We do not know each other, so I ask that you do not speak so informally towards me. The only man allowed to call me Ucchan beside Ryo-chan and Shi-chan is *dead*, you hear me? *D-E-A-D, DEAD!* He died the night Shampoo left for China, and *his* Ucchan died with him. My name is Ukyo-san, and you shall address me as such!" Ranma internally cringed at her every word and he felt as if his last breath was punched from him. Ukyo ran out of the door and Ranma could see Akane and Ryoga out of the corner of his eye. He knew they wanted to run after her, but it was his job this time, so he did.
"Ucchan, wait up!" Ranma yelled hoping he had not lost his life-long best friend.
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Ukyo ran back to her resteraunt and closed the door, not bothering to lock it. She went behind the counter and started cooking as she cried. Soon, she heard the door open and someone sit down.
"One house special Okonomiyaki, please?" Ranma said quietly.
Ukyo looked up from her grill and yelled, "Get out!"
Ranma didn't budge, but looked straight at her.
"Not, until I get my best friend back!" he yelled back.
"Too bad, didn't you hear me Ranma, she's dead! She died the day, you left her...how could you desert me Ran-chan, how could you? I thought we were friends," Ukyo sobbed as she buried her face in on her counter. Ranma petted her hair and repeated over and over again, "I'm so sorry...Ucchan, So sorry..."
"Ucchan, why are you so mad? D-do you still love me?" Ranma asked hesitently.
Ukyo looked up at him, "Of course not, at least not like I used to. I love Shiro, now, but Ran-chan. I'm hurt...because y-you deserted me. I thought we were best friends, I thought I could trust you, I thought friends stuck together..."
Ranma looked apologetic at Ukyo and said, "Ukyo, I'm so sorry, but I had to leave. It was the only way to hold my honor...please forgive me..." Ranma gulped, "...Akane has...she's moved on...she says we should be friends..."
Ukyo just moved silently back to her grill and shook her head *Oh, Ran-chan, if only you knew...*
Ranma waited impatiently as Ukyo continued to cook on the grill and seemed deep in thought. Ukyo finally took the Okonomiyaki off the grill and put sauce and the finishing touches on it. She put it on a plate and gave it to Ranma.
Ranma looked down at his Okonomiyaki and smiled. On the Okonomiyaki read: Friends? Ranma looked up to see a smiling Ukyo and he went to hug her glad for once the same word that brought him so much pain has brought him happiness too.
"You forgive me, Ucchan?" Ranma whispered.
"I do forgive you Ran-chan, I have along time ago, but if you ever go and pull a stunt like that again, I'll make a new Okonimayaki called Ran-chan Okonomoyaki," Ukyo joked.
So hand in hand the two life-long friends walked away from Ucchan's Okonomiyaki.
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The man stared out the plane window appearing nervous. He turned around as his beautiful wife gave him a squeeze in the hand for reassurance. *No need to be afraid...* he told himself *...she won't be there* Yet, though the man loved his wife dearly and his two children more then life itself...he couldn't forget. He still remembered *her* smile, *her* laugh, *her* energy, like a fond memory now. He had let go, yet why does he still wish for something more to remember her by? He laughed one last time at the memory of his lilac-haired Amazon holding Mu-Mu in her arms, as the plane headed off in the direction of Nerima, Japan, a place the man never hoped to see again.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The fire crackled as a green-haired woman sat poking at it. The woman was in her mid-fifties yet still held the apperance of a 34-year-old. Her tall, lithe built and dazzling hazel eyes only enhanced this. The woman missed her family and village greatly, but what could she do? She didn't even really wanted to go out on this futiless mission, but the elders words were the law. *I'm sorry, Ran Mae, you failed to bring Cay Xi back to the village in due time...now I must do my part and retrieve Cologne's heir...* she thought as she slept and the night rolled on. The next morning, no trace was left of the woman except for the blowing ashes of a long-dead fire dancing in the wind.
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Author's Notes: So there ya have it? This came to me in the middle of the night and I just had to write it down. Well I hope all of you are happy that I posted my next chapter! :) Ja Ne.