Forever Bound
Chapter 19, Past, Present, and Future
Author's Notes: Yay! I'm almost done! After this, 1 more chapter and 1 epiloge. *starts doing freaky dance and everyone stares* O_O Aw, ya no fun. Hehe. I got some more ideas for fanfics after this and I will continue on with my other fanfic Scarlet Phoenix, Blue Dragon. Hope ya enjoy this. Oh and about the added songs in my other chapters, I don't really know why I'm doing it, it's like I read the lyrics to a song and it reminds me of that chapter.
Disclaimers: Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and Ah!My Goddess belongs to whoever they belong to. I don't own any of this.
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Akane groaned as she sat up. The back of her head was throbbing from the fall and she had tried and remember what happened before she had lost conciousness. *Belldandy! Someone kidnapped Belldandy! Ranko kidnapped her...then Ranma tied me up, but I escaped...we went to a cave...Ranko had Belldandy by the throat...tied to the wall...told Ranma Belldandy was his daughter...Belldandy attacked Ranko...flew to the wall...fell from the wall...WAIT! RANKO TOLD RANMA BELLDANDY WAS HIS DAUGHTER??!!*
Akane finally got to looking around and saw that she was laying on the sofa in the Tendo living room. Kasumi, Tofu, Ukyo, Shiro, Ryoko, Tenchi, Tofu jr., Ryoga, Akari, Genma, Nodoka, Soun, Nabiki, Kuno, Mousse, Tifa, Condi, Xion Er, Ranma, and Belldandy was all in the room looking expectantly at her. Akane wanted to knock the huge idiotic smile off of Ranma's face.
"What?" she growled low as Belldandy climbed out of Ranma's arms and into hers. Nobody answered her, she knew that Ranma had told them what happened.
"Is it true, Akane? Is Belldandy, Ranma's daughter?" Ryoga asked.
Akane panicked and wailed, "No...yes...no...let me explain! Come on, let me explain! Oh, please let me explain! Why won't you let me explain!"
"Leave the theatrics at the theater, sis," Nabiki said neutrally and Akane scowled at her.
"Well, Akane...?" Ukyo prompted.
Akane looked down at Belldandy's expectant face and sighed, "Yes, Belldandy is Ranma's daughter." Everybody's reaction was the same...all of their jaws hit the floor and Mousse opened and closed his mouth like a gaping fish out of water, "But...up..um..ee..but...you...him..." Tifa slapped her husband across the head and he managed to get one word out, "How?"
Shiro looked confused, "I don't get it, what's the big deal? I heard Akane was Ranma's former fiancee, right?"
"But they were forced into it! They hated each other! You shou;d have seen them, they argued all the time!" Ryogoa tried desperatly to explain.
"I think Akane can explain this, can't you dear?" Nodoka said reasonably. Akane gulped as Ranma's face turned a deep red.
"Was this the um...night...that...um..." Ranma tried to ask. Akane gave him a cold galre, "Yes and it was all your fault." Ranma's face turned an even deeper red and his expression turned into incredulous, "My fault?! It was you who-" Nabiki cut him off, "Listen, I would love to listen to you two argue like you do all the time, but I am sure everyone else would be more interested in how Belldandy was created."
Akane's face flushed, but she began, "Well, the night before Shampoo and Cologne visited us..."
######Flashback##########
Akane sat looking at the moon and sighed heavily. She saw the bright stars in the sky and just gave an indifferent smile. Once she would have made a wish on a star. A wish for the boys at school to stop the daily fights...a wish for Ranma to be nicer to her...a wish for a normal life...a wish that Ranma would...what? Love her? Maybe that was wishing to much. Maybe.
Suddenly, she jumped as she saw Ranma appear hanging upside down outside her window. Akane angrily slid opened her window and Ranma jumped inside.
"You know, I do have a door," she pointed out angrily. Ranma shrugged her statement off as he said, "Akane, are you o.k? You were acting strange today." Akane gave him an amused grin remembering clearly how she didn't even hit Ranma today after Kodachi hugged "her Ranma-sama".
"Why Ranma, is this worry I detect?" Akane asked innocently.
Ranma bristled and retorted stiffly, "Of course not, I was just wondering what a tomboy like you was doing not being violent and all."
Akane gave a sigh, "Of course Ranma. I should have known you would say that. I shouldn't have expected more." Ranma narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "Whadda ya mean?"
"Nothing, Ranma, nothing. If your done, just leave, o.k?" Akane sighed as she looked at the moon once more.
Ranma sat beside her on the bed hesitantly, but Akane didn't seem to notice.
"Akane, you alright?" Ranma asked softly.
Akane looked at Ranma, into his eyes and took a plunge, "Ranma, why are you so afraid?"
"I'm not afraid. I'm, never afraid...well, except with those c-c-c-c, things!" Ranma said confidently.
"Yes you are, Ranma. Everytime something good or nice happen between us, that isn't interrupted, you chicken out! Like at the wedding and like just now," Akane said exasperated.
"Nuh uh, the weddin' was 'cause I was nervous and now wasn't different either," denied Ranma.
Akane smiled grimly, "Then can you not be nervous if I say something right now? Can you not chicken out or run away? I'm too tired Ranma, just deal with it, because I don't want to anymore."
"O-of course I won't run away. Go ahead," Ranma said as he wondered *Where is everyone?...*
Akane gave him a tender smile before whispering, "I love you."
Ranma felt the ground drop under him and his heart lurch. Fear hit him and he had the strongest impulse to just run...run away and not deal with it...so that tomorrow would be the same, nothing would change, no one would get hurt. Ranma looked into Akane's eyes and he knew *Someone would get hurt...me and Akane...* He knew, just knew that if he ran now, Akane would never give him another chance. He wanted to run...but the mere thought of Akane running to someone else had kept him rooted into place.
Akane noticed Ranma's silence and her heart wrenched as she gave a hurt laugh and turned away as she whispered knowingly, "I knew it." Suddenly she felt Ranma grip her shoulders and turned her around. She looked into his eyes and gulped, he was hurt too,... and angry?
"Don't you dare say that! Don't you ever dare say that, Akane! I-I l-l-l-ove y-you t-too," Ranma stammered. Akane smiled and kissed him. Relief was spreading through her, but it was overcome by another feeling. She knew he had loved her, she just didn't know if he'd admit it.
When they broke apart, Ranma held her and he asked, "How can you love me? I thought you didn't. We were always fighting, and all those girls were chasing after me, and I kept-" Akane silenced him with her hand and pointed at the moon, "Tell it not to rise. You can't and I can't help it either."
Ranma gave a large grin and smiled as he kissed her again. For that moment, in that perfect night, there were no fiancees, no rivals, no Chinese Amazons, no demons, no best friends, no curses, no pressuring parents, no manipulative sisters, no poetry-spouting classmates, no pig-turning lost boys, no...madness. There was just Ranma and Akane, two lovers given one final night.
######End of Flashback#######
"...and the next morning, Shampoo came and he left," Akane said.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Ukyo asked, obviously hurt her best friend didn't tell her this.
"When I found out I was pregnant 2 months later I knew I had to leave before it showed, so I stayed for 2 more months before leaving to Paris. It was hard there, no one knew me, I had to work as a local bartender while I went through acting class. When I was out of acting school and gave birth to Bell, I only had small parts in different theaters. I lived like that for some time before I got my reputation out and life started getting better, that was when Nabiki traveled to Europe and found me," Akane explained.
Nobody knew this, but Belldandy. Belldandy remembered with strange clarity the small comfy apartment two floors above the bar and everything else...
#####Flashback######
Akane saw Ryan enter the bar and she took her small apron off and put it on the counter.
"Aw, are you leaving already, sweety? Can I come with you?" a man from a table sneered. Without looking back Akane said casually as if she was used to such comments, "Go to hell."
"Hey, you going home already?" Ryan asked concerned. Akane smiled, she knew Ryan had a crush on her, but he'll get over it, just like the rest of them.
"Yeah, Yukazi-san is coming down with something and his wife is going to take him to the hospital," Akane explained.
"Mr. Yukazi? You mean the old couple across the hall from you?" Ryan asked confused.
"Bingo, Einstein," Akane said, "See ya tomorrow, Ryan."
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Akane walked through the dirty streets and pulled her coat closer to her body. The night was dark and frightening and the streetlights were broken. Suddenly she felt a cold hand clamp over her mouth and a knife pressed to her throat as she heard a man's voice say next to her ear, "Scream and die." Akane rolled her eyes *He brought it on himself...* She jabbed the man in the stomach with her elbow and kicked the knife away from his hand.
Akane twisted the tall man's arm across his back and she said calmly, "Listen, I know life's hard, but I suggest you get a real job, buddy. Oh yeah, if you ever rob anyone again, make sure they don't know martial arts." With that Akane hit a pressure point on his neck and the large man fell back uncouncious. She shook her head and continued on her way.
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Akane climbed up the steps to her apartment floor which was two floors above a drug store. She knocked on the door to room 3c and waited for Mrs. Yukazi, an elderly Japenese lady, to open the door. When she did Akane gave her a brillant smiled and walked in.
A 3-year old Belldandy ran into her mother's arms as Akane said, "Hey sweety, you ready to go home?" Belldandy nodded before running off to get her things. Akane looked at Mr. Yukazi's pale form sitting on the old couch and she asked as she touched his hand, "Hey, Yukazi-san, are you o.k?"
The old man turned his sweet hazel eyes toward Akane and said in a cracked voice, "Of course dear. There's still some life left in this old body, they can't get me that easily."
Akane smiled and said as she took out some money, "Listen, I haven't paid you yet for babysitting Belldandy." She handed it to Mr. Yukazi but he coughed and said, "You know we love that girl so put your money away. Besides that's an outrageous amount your giving us, you don't have money to burn, girl."
Akane smiled as she put the money in his cold hands, "It's o.k, really, I just got a raise."
"You mean that uptight jerk actually gave you a raise?" Mrs. Yukazi asked in an unbelieving tone, but Belldandy had already arrived and Akane said good-bye and left before they could be anymore suspicious.
Outside in the hall Akane said, "Belldandy, why don't we not go out to eat this christmas, we'll eat at home, just you and me. How's that sound?"
"Okay, Mommy," Belldandy said cheerfully.
#####End of Flashback######
Akane looked down at her daughter and Belldandy knew her mother just had the same flashback as Akane gave her a hug.
"Those first couple of years before my fame got out were rough, but I...we got through it," Akane said wistfully.
"We're sorry Akane," Kasumi said as the others agreeded.
"Sorry for what? Not being there or not knowing. You guys didn't know so get over it, I did," Akane said.
"My little girl! I threw you out, I'm so sorry!" Soun cried as Akane soothed him.
"Well there's just one thing left to do now, isn't there?" Ranma asked grinning that stupid smile of his.
"What?" everyone asked.
"Akane will have to marry me," Ranma said and though scientifically impossible, his smile got even larger.
"What?!" Akane asked more in shock then denial.
Ranma's smile didn't even faze, "Don't forget what you told me that day we came home from the park and what I told you. Aishiteru Akane, I love you and though you can't help it, you do too."
Akane just ran to hug him tightly with Belldandy between them. Suddenly a voice spoke up at the doorway and everyone's blood ran cold, "Sorry, Ran Mae, Larchlarn, but I can't let you do that."
There in the doorway stood Shou Yung and an elderly lady that looked remarkably like her.
Mousse held Keichii closer to him and said, "Your not taking him."
The Old Honored Elder of the tribe, who was the great-grandmother of Shou Yung, spared one disdainful glance at Mu Tsu before turning back to Ranma and saying offhandedly, "Keep him. We have bigger fish to fry."
Ranma pulled Akane and Belldandy closer before asking, "What do you want, Oappa. I no longer belong to the village."
"No, but you can not marry her. We are sorry, Larchlarn, for making you marry Shan Pu, forgive us. Yet, you can not marry this girl, she can not control you Larchlarn, only Marshidi can and you must marry her. You love Marshidi!" the old woman said determined, but a note of fear was detected in her voice.
"No, Oappa, I will not marry Marshidi, I am going to marry Akane, I love her," Ranma said coldly, but reasonably.
Before Akane could get a word in edgewise about who she was, Shiro asked, "What is this about Larchlarn, Marshidi?"
Oappa finally noticed the others in the room and before she could ignore them Ranma said, "Yes, Oappa, why not tell them and me."
Oappa sighed, but she sat down and began her tale, "1500 years ago, the Water God's family was killed when he was a baby by the royal family of the Fires. They wanted to kill him to, but they couldn't because unlike his family who were just guardians of the Waters, he was an actual God of the Waters. They kept the boy in their palace and raised him as a prince, never telling him of his origin and engaging him to their daughter, Grenada, princess of the Fires. Now, Grenada was very beautiful with a graceful, petite build and flaming red hair and amber eyes. Larchlarn had golden-brown hair that he tied in a pig-tail and green eyes. No one could control Larchlarn though, he came and went as he pleased and the King and Queen of Fires dared not stop him. It was said that two days before Larchlarn was ready to leave, he met someone in the garden, Marshidi.
"Marshidi was a small earth desert blossom sprite. Her original form had her with bronze skin, platinum hair, and silver-hazel eyes. She never liked her true form, however, and was always in her human form with blue hair and brown eyes. That day she was to visit the Fire palace to gain a heat-fartre, heat energy, for her desert. They say Larchlarn fell in love with her at first sight, but that she flipped him on his back on their first encounter. Whatever, the reason, Larchlarn decided to delay his trip and stayed at the palace. Soon, everyone saw Marshidi and Larchlarn together and it was pretty obvious they were in love."
"The day they made the announcement that they planned to get married was met with certain difficulties...
#####Flashback#######
Marshidi gulped and held onto Larchlarn's hand tighter before the door. Larchlarn sensed her fear and nervousness and he smiled reassuringly down at her.
"Maybe we shouldn't do this, Larn," Marshidi tried to turn away, but Larchlarn held her hand tight. "You promised you would marry me so don't even try to back down. I won't let you," he whispered.
Marshidi took a deep breath and walked into the large room. Inside was the King, Queen, and Princess eating dinner. Grenada noticed Larchlarn and Marshidi holding hands and scowled.
"Everyone I have an announcement, Marshidi and I are getting married," Larchlarn said, but before Grenada could protest the King said coldly, "No, you are not. I forbid it."
Larchlarn turned his fury gaze at the King and he said in a neutral tone, "No, you are not. You can't because I know who I am now, your highness, and we all know I can do anything I want." The King's face lost all it's blood and he turned his fearful eyes toward Larchlarn. Grenada ran towards Marshidi, ready to tear her to pieces, but Larchlarn intercepted.
Larchlarn grabbed Grenada's hand and he asked, "You are not planning to hurt my future wife, are you, Grenada? I thought you had better sense then that."
With that, Larchlarn let Grenada's hand go and disappeared in a flash of blue with Marshidi.
"Daddy, stop them!" Grenada screamed.
The King turned towards Grenada and said, "Let it go, Grenada, we are lucky he did not kill us and destroy the Fires land."
Grenada stomped out of the room, "Let it go, not if I can help it."
#######End of Flashback#######
"Larchlarn and Marshidi were married on Earth. It was said that they were supposed to give birth to three beautiful goddesses, the goddesses of Past, Present, and Future. Soon, the first goddess was born, Urd, with her mother's platinum hair, bronze skin, and silver-hazel eyes. When Marshidi was pregnant with her second daughter, Grenada kidnapped Urd and made Larchlarn go get his daughter at a place filled with cursed springs called Jusenkyo..."
######Flashback########
Larchlarn stood on the pavement staring coldly at Grenada, who was holding a little Urd by the neck. Marshidi stood by his side.
"Larchlarn, how could you? You loved me before she came along. She ruined everything, that slut!" Grenada said and the look in her eyes said she passed the lines of sanity.
"No, Grenada, I never loved you. Now, let my daughter go before I hate you," Larchlarn said.
Grenada shrugged, "Your mistake Larchlarn." She threw Urd towards the rough pavement enough to kill her, but Marshidi ran to catch her daughter. As soon as Marshidi caught Urd, a small needle from Urd's skirt entered Marshidi's skin and the desert blossom sprite fell over dead. Larchlarn saw this and ran to his wife, but he let his guard down, Grenada shot a needle through his neck and Larchlarn fell over.
"Oh, poor Larchlarn, do you know you and your wife is dying of Daserine. Yes, I know this is the only way to kill an immortal and I had to kill 50,000 humans to get their blood, but it was worth it. Don't think this is over yet, Larchlarn dear. I know you will live again with you Marshidi in your next life, but I will too and I curse you. I curse you, Larchlarn that in your next mortal life, you will be cursed to live an interesting life. Trouble will follow you and never shall you have a normal life," Grenada said. She suddenly looked down at the clear spring in front of her.
"Is this an uncursed spring? Oh my, I curse you to fall into this spring and get cursed the next time you visit Jusenkyo, Larchlarn. Now, if I drown into this spring, what would the curse be, I wonder? Spring of drowned princess? Spring of drowned fire? Spring of drowned GIRL? Yes, that seems right. The nynnichuan. Yet, we can't have you curing yourself, so every chance that a cure comes your way, you can't have it. There, I'm done. Au revoir, my prince until we meet again," and with that Grenada drowned in the spring.
#####End of Flashback#######
"And that is the story. Larchlarn, you need to find Marshidi."
Everyone stared in awe at the lady then at Ranma.
"You said that only Larchlarn and Marshidi can have three daughters, past present and future? Goddesses, correct?" Dr. Tofu asked finally.
"Yes," Oappa answered.
"You also said that Larchlarn had blond-brown hair and green eyes?"
"Yes."
"So, Urd didn't die, but she was forced to live in a god/goddesses plane and so will the other goddesses?"
"Yes, now why are you asking all these questions?" Oappa growled.
"Because of this," Dr. Tofu said before taking a small knife from his pocket and slashing Belldandy's small hand with it. Belldandy flinched, but nobody noticed as they watched in shock at seeing silver blood flow out. Suddenly, a violet hue came from the wound and it healed instantly.
"I think we have found our Marshidi, but about to lose our Belldandy," Dr. Tofu said.
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Author's Notes: I think this is my longest chapter yet. O_O Send all comments and criticism to silverflame_maiden@hotmail.com. When Akane died, like her parents, Belldandy's spirit and form was the same and so she looked like hopw she would have if she was born before she died.
Chapter 19, Past, Present, and Future
Author's Notes: Yay! I'm almost done! After this, 1 more chapter and 1 epiloge. *starts doing freaky dance and everyone stares* O_O Aw, ya no fun. Hehe. I got some more ideas for fanfics after this and I will continue on with my other fanfic Scarlet Phoenix, Blue Dragon. Hope ya enjoy this. Oh and about the added songs in my other chapters, I don't really know why I'm doing it, it's like I read the lyrics to a song and it reminds me of that chapter.
Disclaimers: Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and Ah!My Goddess belongs to whoever they belong to. I don't own any of this.
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Akane groaned as she sat up. The back of her head was throbbing from the fall and she had tried and remember what happened before she had lost conciousness. *Belldandy! Someone kidnapped Belldandy! Ranko kidnapped her...then Ranma tied me up, but I escaped...we went to a cave...Ranko had Belldandy by the throat...tied to the wall...told Ranma Belldandy was his daughter...Belldandy attacked Ranko...flew to the wall...fell from the wall...WAIT! RANKO TOLD RANMA BELLDANDY WAS HIS DAUGHTER??!!*
Akane finally got to looking around and saw that she was laying on the sofa in the Tendo living room. Kasumi, Tofu, Ukyo, Shiro, Ryoko, Tenchi, Tofu jr., Ryoga, Akari, Genma, Nodoka, Soun, Nabiki, Kuno, Mousse, Tifa, Condi, Xion Er, Ranma, and Belldandy was all in the room looking expectantly at her. Akane wanted to knock the huge idiotic smile off of Ranma's face.
"What?" she growled low as Belldandy climbed out of Ranma's arms and into hers. Nobody answered her, she knew that Ranma had told them what happened.
"Is it true, Akane? Is Belldandy, Ranma's daughter?" Ryoga asked.
Akane panicked and wailed, "No...yes...no...let me explain! Come on, let me explain! Oh, please let me explain! Why won't you let me explain!"
"Leave the theatrics at the theater, sis," Nabiki said neutrally and Akane scowled at her.
"Well, Akane...?" Ukyo prompted.
Akane looked down at Belldandy's expectant face and sighed, "Yes, Belldandy is Ranma's daughter." Everybody's reaction was the same...all of their jaws hit the floor and Mousse opened and closed his mouth like a gaping fish out of water, "But...up..um..ee..but...you...him..." Tifa slapped her husband across the head and he managed to get one word out, "How?"
Shiro looked confused, "I don't get it, what's the big deal? I heard Akane was Ranma's former fiancee, right?"
"But they were forced into it! They hated each other! You shou;d have seen them, they argued all the time!" Ryogoa tried desperatly to explain.
"I think Akane can explain this, can't you dear?" Nodoka said reasonably. Akane gulped as Ranma's face turned a deep red.
"Was this the um...night...that...um..." Ranma tried to ask. Akane gave him a cold galre, "Yes and it was all your fault." Ranma's face turned an even deeper red and his expression turned into incredulous, "My fault?! It was you who-" Nabiki cut him off, "Listen, I would love to listen to you two argue like you do all the time, but I am sure everyone else would be more interested in how Belldandy was created."
Akane's face flushed, but she began, "Well, the night before Shampoo and Cologne visited us..."
######Flashback##########
Akane sat looking at the moon and sighed heavily. She saw the bright stars in the sky and just gave an indifferent smile. Once she would have made a wish on a star. A wish for the boys at school to stop the daily fights...a wish for Ranma to be nicer to her...a wish for a normal life...a wish that Ranma would...what? Love her? Maybe that was wishing to much. Maybe.
Suddenly, she jumped as she saw Ranma appear hanging upside down outside her window. Akane angrily slid opened her window and Ranma jumped inside.
"You know, I do have a door," she pointed out angrily. Ranma shrugged her statement off as he said, "Akane, are you o.k? You were acting strange today." Akane gave him an amused grin remembering clearly how she didn't even hit Ranma today after Kodachi hugged "her Ranma-sama".
"Why Ranma, is this worry I detect?" Akane asked innocently.
Ranma bristled and retorted stiffly, "Of course not, I was just wondering what a tomboy like you was doing not being violent and all."
Akane gave a sigh, "Of course Ranma. I should have known you would say that. I shouldn't have expected more." Ranma narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "Whadda ya mean?"
"Nothing, Ranma, nothing. If your done, just leave, o.k?" Akane sighed as she looked at the moon once more.
Ranma sat beside her on the bed hesitantly, but Akane didn't seem to notice.
"Akane, you alright?" Ranma asked softly.
Akane looked at Ranma, into his eyes and took a plunge, "Ranma, why are you so afraid?"
"I'm not afraid. I'm, never afraid...well, except with those c-c-c-c, things!" Ranma said confidently.
"Yes you are, Ranma. Everytime something good or nice happen between us, that isn't interrupted, you chicken out! Like at the wedding and like just now," Akane said exasperated.
"Nuh uh, the weddin' was 'cause I was nervous and now wasn't different either," denied Ranma.
Akane smiled grimly, "Then can you not be nervous if I say something right now? Can you not chicken out or run away? I'm too tired Ranma, just deal with it, because I don't want to anymore."
"O-of course I won't run away. Go ahead," Ranma said as he wondered *Where is everyone?...*
Akane gave him a tender smile before whispering, "I love you."
Ranma felt the ground drop under him and his heart lurch. Fear hit him and he had the strongest impulse to just run...run away and not deal with it...so that tomorrow would be the same, nothing would change, no one would get hurt. Ranma looked into Akane's eyes and he knew *Someone would get hurt...me and Akane...* He knew, just knew that if he ran now, Akane would never give him another chance. He wanted to run...but the mere thought of Akane running to someone else had kept him rooted into place.
Akane noticed Ranma's silence and her heart wrenched as she gave a hurt laugh and turned away as she whispered knowingly, "I knew it." Suddenly she felt Ranma grip her shoulders and turned her around. She looked into his eyes and gulped, he was hurt too,... and angry?
"Don't you dare say that! Don't you ever dare say that, Akane! I-I l-l-l-ove y-you t-too," Ranma stammered. Akane smiled and kissed him. Relief was spreading through her, but it was overcome by another feeling. She knew he had loved her, she just didn't know if he'd admit it.
When they broke apart, Ranma held her and he asked, "How can you love me? I thought you didn't. We were always fighting, and all those girls were chasing after me, and I kept-" Akane silenced him with her hand and pointed at the moon, "Tell it not to rise. You can't and I can't help it either."
Ranma gave a large grin and smiled as he kissed her again. For that moment, in that perfect night, there were no fiancees, no rivals, no Chinese Amazons, no demons, no best friends, no curses, no pressuring parents, no manipulative sisters, no poetry-spouting classmates, no pig-turning lost boys, no...madness. There was just Ranma and Akane, two lovers given one final night.
######End of Flashback#######
"...and the next morning, Shampoo came and he left," Akane said.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Ukyo asked, obviously hurt her best friend didn't tell her this.
"When I found out I was pregnant 2 months later I knew I had to leave before it showed, so I stayed for 2 more months before leaving to Paris. It was hard there, no one knew me, I had to work as a local bartender while I went through acting class. When I was out of acting school and gave birth to Bell, I only had small parts in different theaters. I lived like that for some time before I got my reputation out and life started getting better, that was when Nabiki traveled to Europe and found me," Akane explained.
Nobody knew this, but Belldandy. Belldandy remembered with strange clarity the small comfy apartment two floors above the bar and everything else...
#####Flashback######
Akane saw Ryan enter the bar and she took her small apron off and put it on the counter.
"Aw, are you leaving already, sweety? Can I come with you?" a man from a table sneered. Without looking back Akane said casually as if she was used to such comments, "Go to hell."
"Hey, you going home already?" Ryan asked concerned. Akane smiled, she knew Ryan had a crush on her, but he'll get over it, just like the rest of them.
"Yeah, Yukazi-san is coming down with something and his wife is going to take him to the hospital," Akane explained.
"Mr. Yukazi? You mean the old couple across the hall from you?" Ryan asked confused.
"Bingo, Einstein," Akane said, "See ya tomorrow, Ryan."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Akane walked through the dirty streets and pulled her coat closer to her body. The night was dark and frightening and the streetlights were broken. Suddenly she felt a cold hand clamp over her mouth and a knife pressed to her throat as she heard a man's voice say next to her ear, "Scream and die." Akane rolled her eyes *He brought it on himself...* She jabbed the man in the stomach with her elbow and kicked the knife away from his hand.
Akane twisted the tall man's arm across his back and she said calmly, "Listen, I know life's hard, but I suggest you get a real job, buddy. Oh yeah, if you ever rob anyone again, make sure they don't know martial arts." With that Akane hit a pressure point on his neck and the large man fell back uncouncious. She shook her head and continued on her way.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Akane climbed up the steps to her apartment floor which was two floors above a drug store. She knocked on the door to room 3c and waited for Mrs. Yukazi, an elderly Japenese lady, to open the door. When she did Akane gave her a brillant smiled and walked in.
A 3-year old Belldandy ran into her mother's arms as Akane said, "Hey sweety, you ready to go home?" Belldandy nodded before running off to get her things. Akane looked at Mr. Yukazi's pale form sitting on the old couch and she asked as she touched his hand, "Hey, Yukazi-san, are you o.k?"
The old man turned his sweet hazel eyes toward Akane and said in a cracked voice, "Of course dear. There's still some life left in this old body, they can't get me that easily."
Akane smiled and said as she took out some money, "Listen, I haven't paid you yet for babysitting Belldandy." She handed it to Mr. Yukazi but he coughed and said, "You know we love that girl so put your money away. Besides that's an outrageous amount your giving us, you don't have money to burn, girl."
Akane smiled as she put the money in his cold hands, "It's o.k, really, I just got a raise."
"You mean that uptight jerk actually gave you a raise?" Mrs. Yukazi asked in an unbelieving tone, but Belldandy had already arrived and Akane said good-bye and left before they could be anymore suspicious.
Outside in the hall Akane said, "Belldandy, why don't we not go out to eat this christmas, we'll eat at home, just you and me. How's that sound?"
"Okay, Mommy," Belldandy said cheerfully.
#####End of Flashback######
Akane looked down at her daughter and Belldandy knew her mother just had the same flashback as Akane gave her a hug.
"Those first couple of years before my fame got out were rough, but I...we got through it," Akane said wistfully.
"We're sorry Akane," Kasumi said as the others agreeded.
"Sorry for what? Not being there or not knowing. You guys didn't know so get over it, I did," Akane said.
"My little girl! I threw you out, I'm so sorry!" Soun cried as Akane soothed him.
"Well there's just one thing left to do now, isn't there?" Ranma asked grinning that stupid smile of his.
"What?" everyone asked.
"Akane will have to marry me," Ranma said and though scientifically impossible, his smile got even larger.
"What?!" Akane asked more in shock then denial.
Ranma's smile didn't even faze, "Don't forget what you told me that day we came home from the park and what I told you. Aishiteru Akane, I love you and though you can't help it, you do too."
Akane just ran to hug him tightly with Belldandy between them. Suddenly a voice spoke up at the doorway and everyone's blood ran cold, "Sorry, Ran Mae, Larchlarn, but I can't let you do that."
There in the doorway stood Shou Yung and an elderly lady that looked remarkably like her.
Mousse held Keichii closer to him and said, "Your not taking him."
The Old Honored Elder of the tribe, who was the great-grandmother of Shou Yung, spared one disdainful glance at Mu Tsu before turning back to Ranma and saying offhandedly, "Keep him. We have bigger fish to fry."
Ranma pulled Akane and Belldandy closer before asking, "What do you want, Oappa. I no longer belong to the village."
"No, but you can not marry her. We are sorry, Larchlarn, for making you marry Shan Pu, forgive us. Yet, you can not marry this girl, she can not control you Larchlarn, only Marshidi can and you must marry her. You love Marshidi!" the old woman said determined, but a note of fear was detected in her voice.
"No, Oappa, I will not marry Marshidi, I am going to marry Akane, I love her," Ranma said coldly, but reasonably.
Before Akane could get a word in edgewise about who she was, Shiro asked, "What is this about Larchlarn, Marshidi?"
Oappa finally noticed the others in the room and before she could ignore them Ranma said, "Yes, Oappa, why not tell them and me."
Oappa sighed, but she sat down and began her tale, "1500 years ago, the Water God's family was killed when he was a baby by the royal family of the Fires. They wanted to kill him to, but they couldn't because unlike his family who were just guardians of the Waters, he was an actual God of the Waters. They kept the boy in their palace and raised him as a prince, never telling him of his origin and engaging him to their daughter, Grenada, princess of the Fires. Now, Grenada was very beautiful with a graceful, petite build and flaming red hair and amber eyes. Larchlarn had golden-brown hair that he tied in a pig-tail and green eyes. No one could control Larchlarn though, he came and went as he pleased and the King and Queen of Fires dared not stop him. It was said that two days before Larchlarn was ready to leave, he met someone in the garden, Marshidi.
"Marshidi was a small earth desert blossom sprite. Her original form had her with bronze skin, platinum hair, and silver-hazel eyes. She never liked her true form, however, and was always in her human form with blue hair and brown eyes. That day she was to visit the Fire palace to gain a heat-fartre, heat energy, for her desert. They say Larchlarn fell in love with her at first sight, but that she flipped him on his back on their first encounter. Whatever, the reason, Larchlarn decided to delay his trip and stayed at the palace. Soon, everyone saw Marshidi and Larchlarn together and it was pretty obvious they were in love."
"The day they made the announcement that they planned to get married was met with certain difficulties...
#####Flashback#######
Marshidi gulped and held onto Larchlarn's hand tighter before the door. Larchlarn sensed her fear and nervousness and he smiled reassuringly down at her.
"Maybe we shouldn't do this, Larn," Marshidi tried to turn away, but Larchlarn held her hand tight. "You promised you would marry me so don't even try to back down. I won't let you," he whispered.
Marshidi took a deep breath and walked into the large room. Inside was the King, Queen, and Princess eating dinner. Grenada noticed Larchlarn and Marshidi holding hands and scowled.
"Everyone I have an announcement, Marshidi and I are getting married," Larchlarn said, but before Grenada could protest the King said coldly, "No, you are not. I forbid it."
Larchlarn turned his fury gaze at the King and he said in a neutral tone, "No, you are not. You can't because I know who I am now, your highness, and we all know I can do anything I want." The King's face lost all it's blood and he turned his fearful eyes toward Larchlarn. Grenada ran towards Marshidi, ready to tear her to pieces, but Larchlarn intercepted.
Larchlarn grabbed Grenada's hand and he asked, "You are not planning to hurt my future wife, are you, Grenada? I thought you had better sense then that."
With that, Larchlarn let Grenada's hand go and disappeared in a flash of blue with Marshidi.
"Daddy, stop them!" Grenada screamed.
The King turned towards Grenada and said, "Let it go, Grenada, we are lucky he did not kill us and destroy the Fires land."
Grenada stomped out of the room, "Let it go, not if I can help it."
#######End of Flashback#######
"Larchlarn and Marshidi were married on Earth. It was said that they were supposed to give birth to three beautiful goddesses, the goddesses of Past, Present, and Future. Soon, the first goddess was born, Urd, with her mother's platinum hair, bronze skin, and silver-hazel eyes. When Marshidi was pregnant with her second daughter, Grenada kidnapped Urd and made Larchlarn go get his daughter at a place filled with cursed springs called Jusenkyo..."
######Flashback########
Larchlarn stood on the pavement staring coldly at Grenada, who was holding a little Urd by the neck. Marshidi stood by his side.
"Larchlarn, how could you? You loved me before she came along. She ruined everything, that slut!" Grenada said and the look in her eyes said she passed the lines of sanity.
"No, Grenada, I never loved you. Now, let my daughter go before I hate you," Larchlarn said.
Grenada shrugged, "Your mistake Larchlarn." She threw Urd towards the rough pavement enough to kill her, but Marshidi ran to catch her daughter. As soon as Marshidi caught Urd, a small needle from Urd's skirt entered Marshidi's skin and the desert blossom sprite fell over dead. Larchlarn saw this and ran to his wife, but he let his guard down, Grenada shot a needle through his neck and Larchlarn fell over.
"Oh, poor Larchlarn, do you know you and your wife is dying of Daserine. Yes, I know this is the only way to kill an immortal and I had to kill 50,000 humans to get their blood, but it was worth it. Don't think this is over yet, Larchlarn dear. I know you will live again with you Marshidi in your next life, but I will too and I curse you. I curse you, Larchlarn that in your next mortal life, you will be cursed to live an interesting life. Trouble will follow you and never shall you have a normal life," Grenada said. She suddenly looked down at the clear spring in front of her.
"Is this an uncursed spring? Oh my, I curse you to fall into this spring and get cursed the next time you visit Jusenkyo, Larchlarn. Now, if I drown into this spring, what would the curse be, I wonder? Spring of drowned princess? Spring of drowned fire? Spring of drowned GIRL? Yes, that seems right. The nynnichuan. Yet, we can't have you curing yourself, so every chance that a cure comes your way, you can't have it. There, I'm done. Au revoir, my prince until we meet again," and with that Grenada drowned in the spring.
#####End of Flashback#######
"And that is the story. Larchlarn, you need to find Marshidi."
Everyone stared in awe at the lady then at Ranma.
"You said that only Larchlarn and Marshidi can have three daughters, past present and future? Goddesses, correct?" Dr. Tofu asked finally.
"Yes," Oappa answered.
"You also said that Larchlarn had blond-brown hair and green eyes?"
"Yes."
"So, Urd didn't die, but she was forced to live in a god/goddesses plane and so will the other goddesses?"
"Yes, now why are you asking all these questions?" Oappa growled.
"Because of this," Dr. Tofu said before taking a small knife from his pocket and slashing Belldandy's small hand with it. Belldandy flinched, but nobody noticed as they watched in shock at seeing silver blood flow out. Suddenly, a violet hue came from the wound and it healed instantly.
"I think we have found our Marshidi, but about to lose our Belldandy," Dr. Tofu said.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Author's Notes: I think this is my longest chapter yet. O_O Send all comments and criticism to silverflame_maiden@hotmail.com. When Akane died, like her parents, Belldandy's spirit and form was the same and so she looked like hopw she would have if she was born before she died.