Nightengale
Chapter 3, Maybe It's Better This Way...
Author's Notes: That's IT! I am tired of seeing all my favorite anime guys get brainwashed and trying to kill their loved ones. From Mamoru to Tamahome. *shaking in fury* I am going to make it a vow that I shall never ever brainwash Ranma...under any circumstances! And if I do...I won't make him go to another girl and try to kill Akane! This is so sad *wipes away tear*. I must be strong! This is so unfair! Wahhhh! Okay, :), enjoy...
Disclaimers: Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and Dark Angel belongs to FOX network and anything else it belongs to.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am sick of everyone telling me that they know what I'm thinking...know what I'm feeling...know what I'm going through...because they don't...everyone thinks they know what's best for me...but they don't! If everyone would just stop for a second to think, they might just realize that *they* aren't Akane Tendo and I am and they can never ever possibly know what I'm going through or what's good for me.
...when Mrs. Tendo died for instance...
...people kept telling me they knew what I was going through...kasumi tried to explain to the little girl me that death happens to everyone eventually and I should accept it... Nabiki told me that she understood my pain and it'll go away with time...dad told me that it wasn't my fault...that I shouldn't feel sad or guilty...
...but they didn't feel what I felt...
...and they didn't know what I know...
It had hurt for Kasumi, Nabiki and dad...but to me it was a totally different thing... I Wasn't a child they all had claimed me to be so I knew and understood about death and such...but they didn't understand...Mrs. Tendo wasn't my mother...never had been...and she and I never got that confused...she knew I didn't need a mother and she knew she could never be a mother to me...because I wasn't a child...
...Mrs. Tendo had been my protector...
She was the only one that knew my secret...the only one that kept the people that wanted me away...she was the only one that knew when to move to another city...everyone thought she was eccentric and that she was restless and loved to move...
...they failed to notice that she only started this love of moving when I came along...
That means more to me then anyone could ever know...this lady...who has never met me or seen me before takes me into her home and protected me...simply because she had a kind heart...but of course they got her...
...they say it wasn't my fault...
...that robbers robbed her...
But I know.
She couldn't protect me.
And she died for trying.
...'it's not your fault, Akane'...
...'we know what you're going through'...
...'it'll past'...
...'we know what's best for you'...
I'm Akane Tendo.
And the next person to tell me they know what I'm going through and how they can help me is going to get their butt kicked.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You know, I usually don't follow men home like this. It gives me a bad reputation," Akane teased lightly as the guy observed her from his seat behind the large, mahogany desk.
"Yeah, well you do follow men home when they have a potential law-suit against you," Ranma countered back and Akane gave him a lazy grin as she fingered a priceless dark wine-red, velvet curtain.
Seeing her interest, the dark-haired guy spoke up, "You know that was actually owned by Elizabeth I in her summer home and was later used by others in the Tudor-"
Akane turned around and cocked an eyebrow, "Are you going to give me a history lesson everytime we meet?" She found it endearing that the confidant boy actually blushed slightly as he changed the subject, "About why I brought you here-"
"You brought *me* here?" the girl gave a snort and laugh before continuing over to him and leaning over his desk, "Sorry to disappoint your ego but you didn't *bring* me here, regardless of what you believe. Think about it, if I had the nerve to actually risk going inside a building and jumping outside a window...you don't actually think I'll be afraid of a little, itty law suit, do you?"
To her surprise, a slow smile grew on his face and his eyes sparked with something almost...feral...like a snake that knows it has it's opponent cornered...or a chess player who knows that they're about to have checkmate...
Akane started to back up.
He stalked her slowly and she backed up until her back slammed into the large mirrored wall. She felt her breath quicked when Ranma's face was only a few inches from hers and the grin didn't drop from his face. But instead of kissing her...like she had expected... and slightly anticipated...
...he just moved a hand behind her neck and lifted her hair up.
Suddenly, she knew what he was up to.
"You know!" she shouted as she pushed him away with both her hands. Her disappointment and anger clouded her reason for a second...just a second but it was too late. The damage was done.
The pig-tailed boy had the nerve to cross his arms and give her a crooked smile, "Know what?"
Akane quickly looked away...anywhere but at him. Then, deciding there was no way around it she bit her bottome lip and said with fake anger, "I don't have to take this anymore! I'm out of here."
She started to stomp past him towards the door but he garbbed her elbow and whispered in her ear, "I know what you are, Akane Tendo, and I can help you."
The blue-haired girl jerked her arm away and looked at him with a wild glint in her eyes.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she denied but even her stubborness couldn't keep out the hint of fear in her voice.
"I know what you are, Akane. The bar code on your neck should more then prove my assumptions are correct. Now, I can help you," he stated.
Akane's breathing became labored as her nervousness escalated, "O-okay, let's s-say that what you say is correct and I am what you think I am, how are you going to help me? There's nothing that I want from you."
"Ah, contraire, my dear Akane, there is a lot you can gain from me. For example, the coveted information about where the other kids are. Don't you want to know?" Akane's bark of laughter surprised and slightly shocked Ranma.
Suddenly, the situation was reversed and Akane was the confidant one while Ranma held unsure ground.
"Ha! Wrong. I couldn't care less where those other kids are, though it would be nice to know. I am not going to risk my neck and make a deal with, sorry to say this, someone as untrustworthy as you. So, unless you have something more interesting to say, I'm out of here," Akane took pleasure in saying before starting to make the greatest exit of her life.
"Your mother," she heard the calm voice behind her say. Tha gave her pause at the door.
"Don't have one," she said, but still she did not move.
"Kimiko Tendo then," he said and Akane bit her bottom lip.
"What do you want?" she asked.
Ranma walked up behind her and said, "I can get information about her death. I can find out ways to locate clues to why she died...and what you want most...who killed her. Isn't that what you've been looking for?"
Akane turned around and stared at him straight in the eyes, her own flashing with golden fire, "I repeat, what do *you* want?" She felt a tremor of fear slide coldly down her back at the smirk that grew on his handsome features.
"Nothing of importance as yet...but there will be a time when I'll need your...let's say abilities...to do some things that I require," at this point, the pig-tailed boy walked over and
led her out of the room into the hallway. At one point her stopped and opened another door using a card from his pocket. Akane gasped as she found herself in a gadget-galore, computer-addict's dream. Ranma seated himself on a large leather chair and put on a helmet very much like that of a Virtual Reality's game. It was black and covered his eyes while a small microphone rested near his mouth. Ranma flipped on a switch and Akane found all the t.v screens around her have eyes only on it.
"This is Eyes Only," the boy said into the microphone and a gravelly voice came out.
"You...you..." Akane pointed at him as he took off the helmet.
"*I* am Eyes Only...but Ranma will also do," he said to her as he stood up, "Eyes Only needs ways to get information and sometimes people aren't willing to let their secrets go so I will need someone who can and will get these jobs done. In exchange, I shall get information for you about your deceased...mother."
Akane took a look around her and at the boy in front of her. *He knows something* she thought suspiciously *something he's not telling me* But even with her suspicions, the temptation was too great to resist. Here was an actual once-in-a-lifetime chance at finding Mrs. Tendo's killers.
"I only have one condition," she said and Ranma's face remained unreadable.
"State it," he said.
"I don't want you to reveal my condition to anyone, especially my family," she said and knew it was unnecessary for the guy in front of her agreed as though he wasn't going to do that anyway.
"Deal...Ranma," Akane said as she started to walk ou the door again.
"Akane?" she heard the guy say behind her.
"Yes?" she asked.
"I'll overlook the golden pen you took if you put back my diamond watch," he said indifferently as he continued to work on his machines. Akane inwardly smiled as she reached inside her pocket and took out the diamon watch, placing it on the nearest t.v. She could learn to like this Ranma.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When I was younger...the only games I played were those the workers allowed me...war games...Stratego...Risk...there was a boy...one from one of the other groups that I always paired with...to him it was a friendship...we trusted each other to be on our side so we always won...
...or more to the point, he trusted me...
...the definition of trust is self-destruction...
One day, I decided to use that trust to my advantage...
...I won the game...
...no one spoke of him again...
I'm a perfect saint...helping a young girl find her mother's killers...
...or I'm the most manipulative machine...using someone's weakness to get my own way...
The latter sounds more likely.
Akane.
That was what her profile said.
Akane Tendo from the Tendo line with two sisters and one father and one deceased mother.
I don't need to find information on who or what killed Kimiko Tendo.
I know...
...because I did it...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 3, Maybe It's Better This Way...
Author's Notes: That's IT! I am tired of seeing all my favorite anime guys get brainwashed and trying to kill their loved ones. From Mamoru to Tamahome. *shaking in fury* I am going to make it a vow that I shall never ever brainwash Ranma...under any circumstances! And if I do...I won't make him go to another girl and try to kill Akane! This is so sad *wipes away tear*. I must be strong! This is so unfair! Wahhhh! Okay, :), enjoy...
Disclaimers: Ranma 1/2 belongs to Rumiko Takahashi and Dark Angel belongs to FOX network and anything else it belongs to.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I am sick of everyone telling me that they know what I'm thinking...know what I'm feeling...know what I'm going through...because they don't...everyone thinks they know what's best for me...but they don't! If everyone would just stop for a second to think, they might just realize that *they* aren't Akane Tendo and I am and they can never ever possibly know what I'm going through or what's good for me.
...when Mrs. Tendo died for instance...
...people kept telling me they knew what I was going through...kasumi tried to explain to the little girl me that death happens to everyone eventually and I should accept it... Nabiki told me that she understood my pain and it'll go away with time...dad told me that it wasn't my fault...that I shouldn't feel sad or guilty...
...but they didn't feel what I felt...
...and they didn't know what I know...
It had hurt for Kasumi, Nabiki and dad...but to me it was a totally different thing... I Wasn't a child they all had claimed me to be so I knew and understood about death and such...but they didn't understand...Mrs. Tendo wasn't my mother...never had been...and she and I never got that confused...she knew I didn't need a mother and she knew she could never be a mother to me...because I wasn't a child...
...Mrs. Tendo had been my protector...
She was the only one that knew my secret...the only one that kept the people that wanted me away...she was the only one that knew when to move to another city...everyone thought she was eccentric and that she was restless and loved to move...
...they failed to notice that she only started this love of moving when I came along...
That means more to me then anyone could ever know...this lady...who has never met me or seen me before takes me into her home and protected me...simply because she had a kind heart...but of course they got her...
...they say it wasn't my fault...
...that robbers robbed her...
But I know.
She couldn't protect me.
And she died for trying.
...'it's not your fault, Akane'...
...'we know what you're going through'...
...'it'll past'...
...'we know what's best for you'...
I'm Akane Tendo.
And the next person to tell me they know what I'm going through and how they can help me is going to get their butt kicked.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You know, I usually don't follow men home like this. It gives me a bad reputation," Akane teased lightly as the guy observed her from his seat behind the large, mahogany desk.
"Yeah, well you do follow men home when they have a potential law-suit against you," Ranma countered back and Akane gave him a lazy grin as she fingered a priceless dark wine-red, velvet curtain.
Seeing her interest, the dark-haired guy spoke up, "You know that was actually owned by Elizabeth I in her summer home and was later used by others in the Tudor-"
Akane turned around and cocked an eyebrow, "Are you going to give me a history lesson everytime we meet?" She found it endearing that the confidant boy actually blushed slightly as he changed the subject, "About why I brought you here-"
"You brought *me* here?" the girl gave a snort and laugh before continuing over to him and leaning over his desk, "Sorry to disappoint your ego but you didn't *bring* me here, regardless of what you believe. Think about it, if I had the nerve to actually risk going inside a building and jumping outside a window...you don't actually think I'll be afraid of a little, itty law suit, do you?"
To her surprise, a slow smile grew on his face and his eyes sparked with something almost...feral...like a snake that knows it has it's opponent cornered...or a chess player who knows that they're about to have checkmate...
Akane started to back up.
He stalked her slowly and she backed up until her back slammed into the large mirrored wall. She felt her breath quicked when Ranma's face was only a few inches from hers and the grin didn't drop from his face. But instead of kissing her...like she had expected... and slightly anticipated...
...he just moved a hand behind her neck and lifted her hair up.
Suddenly, she knew what he was up to.
"You know!" she shouted as she pushed him away with both her hands. Her disappointment and anger clouded her reason for a second...just a second but it was too late. The damage was done.
The pig-tailed boy had the nerve to cross his arms and give her a crooked smile, "Know what?"
Akane quickly looked away...anywhere but at him. Then, deciding there was no way around it she bit her bottome lip and said with fake anger, "I don't have to take this anymore! I'm out of here."
She started to stomp past him towards the door but he garbbed her elbow and whispered in her ear, "I know what you are, Akane Tendo, and I can help you."
The blue-haired girl jerked her arm away and looked at him with a wild glint in her eyes.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she denied but even her stubborness couldn't keep out the hint of fear in her voice.
"I know what you are, Akane. The bar code on your neck should more then prove my assumptions are correct. Now, I can help you," he stated.
Akane's breathing became labored as her nervousness escalated, "O-okay, let's s-say that what you say is correct and I am what you think I am, how are you going to help me? There's nothing that I want from you."
"Ah, contraire, my dear Akane, there is a lot you can gain from me. For example, the coveted information about where the other kids are. Don't you want to know?" Akane's bark of laughter surprised and slightly shocked Ranma.
Suddenly, the situation was reversed and Akane was the confidant one while Ranma held unsure ground.
"Ha! Wrong. I couldn't care less where those other kids are, though it would be nice to know. I am not going to risk my neck and make a deal with, sorry to say this, someone as untrustworthy as you. So, unless you have something more interesting to say, I'm out of here," Akane took pleasure in saying before starting to make the greatest exit of her life.
"Your mother," she heard the calm voice behind her say. Tha gave her pause at the door.
"Don't have one," she said, but still she did not move.
"Kimiko Tendo then," he said and Akane bit her bottom lip.
"What do you want?" she asked.
Ranma walked up behind her and said, "I can get information about her death. I can find out ways to locate clues to why she died...and what you want most...who killed her. Isn't that what you've been looking for?"
Akane turned around and stared at him straight in the eyes, her own flashing with golden fire, "I repeat, what do *you* want?" She felt a tremor of fear slide coldly down her back at the smirk that grew on his handsome features.
"Nothing of importance as yet...but there will be a time when I'll need your...let's say abilities...to do some things that I require," at this point, the pig-tailed boy walked over and
led her out of the room into the hallway. At one point her stopped and opened another door using a card from his pocket. Akane gasped as she found herself in a gadget-galore, computer-addict's dream. Ranma seated himself on a large leather chair and put on a helmet very much like that of a Virtual Reality's game. It was black and covered his eyes while a small microphone rested near his mouth. Ranma flipped on a switch and Akane found all the t.v screens around her have eyes only on it.
"This is Eyes Only," the boy said into the microphone and a gravelly voice came out.
"You...you..." Akane pointed at him as he took off the helmet.
"*I* am Eyes Only...but Ranma will also do," he said to her as he stood up, "Eyes Only needs ways to get information and sometimes people aren't willing to let their secrets go so I will need someone who can and will get these jobs done. In exchange, I shall get information for you about your deceased...mother."
Akane took a look around her and at the boy in front of her. *He knows something* she thought suspiciously *something he's not telling me* But even with her suspicions, the temptation was too great to resist. Here was an actual once-in-a-lifetime chance at finding Mrs. Tendo's killers.
"I only have one condition," she said and Ranma's face remained unreadable.
"State it," he said.
"I don't want you to reveal my condition to anyone, especially my family," she said and knew it was unnecessary for the guy in front of her agreed as though he wasn't going to do that anyway.
"Deal...Ranma," Akane said as she started to walk ou the door again.
"Akane?" she heard the guy say behind her.
"Yes?" she asked.
"I'll overlook the golden pen you took if you put back my diamond watch," he said indifferently as he continued to work on his machines. Akane inwardly smiled as she reached inside her pocket and took out the diamon watch, placing it on the nearest t.v. She could learn to like this Ranma.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
When I was younger...the only games I played were those the workers allowed me...war games...Stratego...Risk...there was a boy...one from one of the other groups that I always paired with...to him it was a friendship...we trusted each other to be on our side so we always won...
...or more to the point, he trusted me...
...the definition of trust is self-destruction...
One day, I decided to use that trust to my advantage...
...I won the game...
...no one spoke of him again...
I'm a perfect saint...helping a young girl find her mother's killers...
...or I'm the most manipulative machine...using someone's weakness to get my own way...
The latter sounds more likely.
Akane.
That was what her profile said.
Akane Tendo from the Tendo line with two sisters and one father and one deceased mother.
I don't need to find information on who or what killed Kimiko Tendo.
I know...
...because I did it...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~