Disclaimer: I DON'T own anyone in this story, except for Suiren, because I made her up. Everyone else belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.
Author's Notes: Okay, I forgot to put this in the author's notes at the end of the last chapter, but Dragon Rage is the name for a Pokemon move. I really needed a name for her move, and this kinda popped into my head. Anyway, in this chapter, you'll learn about Suiren's little secret that she's been keeping from her family. And another thing, Ranma really cares about his sister. Enjoy. :)
~
Suiren's day was occupied by helping Kasumi and her mother with the housework. When Ranma and Akane came home, they were arguing, as usual. Suiren watched them yell back and forth at each other. Finally, Ranma said something that earned him a good-sized whack on the head with Akane's mallet. Akane ran inside and up the stairs to her room.
Ranma finally noticed his sister standing there. "Hey sis," he said weakly, nursing the growing lump on his head. A door could be heard slamming. "Stupid, uncute tomboy," he murmured, standing up, still rubbing his head. "Hey, Suiren. How about we go out for dinner, just the two of us. I want to get to know you better."
"Sure," Suiren said, smiling. Ranma beamed back.
Just then, Kasumi came outside, carrying a paper-wrapped box. "Oh, hello Ranma."
"Afternoon, Kasumi. Oh, just ta letcha know, Suiren and I are going out for dinner tonight."
"I see. Getting to know each other better?"
"Yup." Kasumi fumbled with the package she was holding. Suiren caught the box before it hit the ground. She offered it to Kasumi, who pushed it away. "This came for you today."
Suiren took the package back. "Oh, okay. Thank you for bringing it out to me." Suiren inspected the paper-wrapped package. It was small, light weight, and was devoid of any address. Only her name was written across the top, in large black letters. 'Who could have sent this? Could it be from…no! He doesn't know that I'm here! Then who…?' Suiren noticed her brother was watching her strangely.
"Somethin' wrong?" Suiren blushed lightly, realizing she hadn't concealed her emotions. "You looked kinda scared for a minute there."
Suiren was flustered. "Uh, no. I just noticed that there were no addresses on it. Whoever sent this, hand delivered it. Take a look." She turned the box so that Ranma could see the top.
"Hmmm. You still gonna open it?" Ranma had a concerned look on his face. He looked at her carefully.
'If it's from him, then I have to.' "I-I guess so." Suiren sat on the ground and began to take the paper off carefully. Her hands were trembling visibly. Ranma sat next to her and studied her face. Suiren opened the box and peered inside. Her gasp made Ranma tear his gaze from her face and look at the box. Inside it, lay a leather-bound book, a necklace, and a ring. "Shit. It is from him. He knows I'm here. Damn."
"Who knows you're here?" Suiren had forgotten about Ranma. His words brought her back to reality.
"Uh, no one you need to know about." She returned her focus to the box. She delicately lifted out the book. "My journal," she murmured. "Why would he send me these?"
"'He' again. C'mon sis. 'Fess up. Who's this guy you keep talking about?" Suiren looked into Ranma's eyes. She could tell he couldn't stand stalling. He wanted answers, now.
"Uh," Suiren returned her gaze to the ground. 'I can't tell him! I couldn't bear for them to be hurt." Suiren squeezed her eyes shut. 'I just can't tell him!'
"C'mon, Suiren." Ranma's voice softened. "If you're in danger, Pop and I will protect you." He leaned forward, placing his hand on hers. "You know that." Suiren looked into his eyes. This time, she could see that he cared. He really wanted to help her. Her eyes began to water.
'I want his help, but he'll get hurt.' "But you can't help. There's nothing you can do against Keimara."
"Who?"
Suiren took a deep breath to calm herself. "Keimara. He's… he's too… he's too powerful and cunning. He's got dozens of cronies in Tokyo alone, and more all over Japan. They act as his personal newspaper. He knows about everything that goes on in every part of Japan. Any one could be commuting with him. I mean, one of his men could be listening to our conversation right now. Besides, what I have against him is personal. This is my fight. And I don't want my family to be hurt. Oh my. I shouldn't be telling you all this. Promise not to tell Mom or Dad?" Her eyes begged him to agree.
"I promise." Ranma could tell that his sister was uncomfortable telling him all this, and he shouldn't dig further on this Keimara person. Suiren would tell him in due time. "That's a nice necklace. How'd he get that stuff anyway?"
"I don't know. I thought I had this stuff with me."
Ranma held up the necklace. The pendant was a silver water lily, and in the middle was the smallest diamond he had ever seen. "Where'd you get this?"
"Mom gave it to me just before I was kidnapped. She had it specially made for me. The pendant's a water lily, and that's what my name means, water lily."
Ranma handed her the necklace and picked up the ring. He studied it for a moment. It was a silver ring, with a fancy S. It also had a small diamond, at the tip of the S. 'Hey, wait a minute. I think Mom told me about this once.' "What about this ring. I think Mom told me about it once."
"Yes, It's an heirloom to the Saotome family. It's been passed down from mother to daughter for generations. Mom also gave this to me before I was kidnapped. It's strange, trusting a three-year-old with something as valuable as this."
"I think she was hiding it from Pop. Anything valuable he pawns off."
"That could be it." Ranma handed Suiren the ring, and she slipped it on her hand. She clasped the necklace around her neck. "There, that's better." The two smiled.
A sudden gust of wind blew Suiren's journal open to a page in the back. Suiren bent over and read what was scrawled on the page. She looked at the book in surprise, then in shock as she read the note. She looked at Ranma, who spun the book around so that he could read it too.
'Suiren,
Nice journal. You've lead an interesting life. I wonder why? HAHAHA! But enough fooling around. I noticed you…forgot some things. So I decided to bring them to you. For your information, I'm coming soon for a…let's call it a visit, shall we?'
Ranma seethed with rage. He looked into Suiren's pleading eyes. "I won't tell. I promise."
"Thank you Ranma. I don't want anyone hurt."
~
The pair were unaware of the pair of eyes watching them. 'This is interesting.' The man silently left the tree, and ran down the street. No one could see him, only feel his backdraft, and figure it's the wind. He ran to an old, abandoned warehouse. He tapped on the door. Entering silently, he dropped to his knees. "Sir? I have news about Suiren."
"Speak," came a rumbling voice from the darkness. The man rose and flipped his blond ponytail over his shoulder. He spoke in a soft but firm voice.
"Sir, I have located Suiren. She was at the address you stated. She got the package, and is now wearing the jewelry. She read the note, as well."
"Has she told anyone yet?"
"Only her brother, but she only told him details about you, Sir."
"Do you have any suggestions as to how we could get her to come to us?"
"No Sir."
"Do we have a chance of taking her again?"
"It would be very hard Sir, for she has learned a very powerful chi attack."
"Is there anyone else we could take? Say, her brother, maybe? He's younger than she is, right?"
"You're right, Sir, he is younger than her, but he is an even stronger martial artist than she. I witnessed him in a fight. He beat Suiren in a battle that chi attacks were not utilized in."
"Not her father, either. It is obvious he trained the boy. What about her mother?"
"She seems easy enough, Sir. She only carries the family katakana around."
"Good. Continue to watch her, and report to me when she tells her brother, or the rest of her family for that matter, anything else about her past with us. I send someone to watch the Tendos. Be gone."
"Yes Sir." The man left the warehouse, running back to the dojo at top speed. The passerbys only wondered about the sudden gust of wind.
~
Author's Notes: I think this is going to be one of my favorite stories. I'm having a lot of fun writing this! I hope you people are enjoying this story too! Next chapter out soon. (I can't wait for school to be let out, then I can type all day.) More of the secret will be reveled in coming chapters. I've got a main idea, but I'm still kinda stuck on the tiny details. Till next time! Ja ne!