Bambi's Author Notes: So... What did everyone think of the last chapter? Aren't you just glad that I'm co-writing this with Krys-chan?
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First Loves
Chapter 2 - Obstacles
Author: Krys Yuy & Bambi Star
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Recap:
She smiled radiantly at her old nickname, her eyes becoming moist with happiness. For one moment, she forgot everything that had occurred between them. Only they existed, and the aura of their first love. "So Ran-kun..." She glanced at their hand contacted, and squeezed a bit tighter. "We meet again..."
* * * * *
"Yes, we do." Ranma looked down at their hands for a moment, enjoying the familiar warmth of her touch. After realizing his current situation he quickly drew his hand away and backed away from her. Usagi looked at him surprised, confused and hurt.
"R-Ranma?" Tears rolled down her cheeks. "I-" She looked down at the ground, not knowing what else to say.
Naru and Kasumi entered the dojo. "Ranma? Is that you?" gasped Naru as she ran up and embraced him. "It's been so long!" She pulled away, "When did you get here? Why didn't you visit us? How have you been?"
Ranma looked down at the ground uncomfortably, shuffling his feet against the ground. "Umm..."
Kasumi looked surprised. "You two know each other?"
Naru turned to look at her best friend excitedly, "Usagi! It's Ra..." She trailed down when she saw her friend's tear-streaked face. "Usagi? What's wrong?"
Without another word, Usagi turned around and sprinted out of the dojo, crashing into Nabiki who was entering to see what all the commotion was about. 'Oof!'
"What the-?" Frowned Nabiki as she started to stand up.
Ranma looked up to watch his ex-girlfriend's disappearing back; he had hurt her again... "Usagi! Wait!" He took off after her. Once again Nabiki fell down on her bottom, this time due to the fear of watching Ranma running straight for her at high speed. It didn't take a genius to work out why Ranma was one of the best martial artists in his generation.
"Oh my." Said Kasumi, placing a hand on her cheek.
Naru just stared after them. "Usagi... She whispered. She bit her lower lip hoping her friend would be alright. 'Ranma... take care of her...'
* * * * *
"Usagi! Please wait!" Yelled Ranma as they ran through the Tendo household.
Genma-panda looked up, placing a sign up that asked, 'Usagi? Usagi Tsukino?'
Usagi ran blindly until she escaped through the gates. Ranma chased closely behind her. Usagi knew that she had no chance to outrun Ranma, but she wanted to get away from him as far as she could. Why? Her eyes widen with that question. Why did she want to not see him?
She saw a large interception up ahead and she pursed her lips. Traffic was moving in all directions. She could either attempt a suicide leap over the speeding non-stopping vehicles, or stop and allow Ranma to catch her. The second option was much more inviting, but her pride chose the first.
(BS: Pride always ALWAYS hard to beat. Anyhows, continuing on...)
Before she knew what she was doing, she bent her knees and leapt...
The pedestrians paused from their walk to watch as the blond 'odango' haired young woman leap over the speeding bullets.
Ranma's eyes widen. "Usagi!" He pumped his legs harder and prayed that she would make it over the cars. He leapt after her and watched as she was about to land right in the middle of the road where a large truck was accelerating towards her. "Usagi!" He cried out again as he dropped down to the ground on the side of the curb. He ran towards her, grabbing her into his arms and leaped to the curb.
"Usagi! What were you thinking?!" Scolded Ranma as he held her at arm's length. "Leaping into traffic like that! Did you know how dangerous that was?"
She looked away from him, tears still rolling down her face. The crowd whispered amongst themselves before continuing on their way. She was startled when Ranma suddenly pulled her towards him, embracing her tightly. "God Usagi..." If she didn't know better, she would have to say that he was crying from the sound of his muffled voice.
Her hypnosis was correct when she felt her shirt becoming damp. "I was so afraid that I'll lose you again."
Usagi hugged him back, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Ranma... I missed you so much!" She held onto him tightly, afraid that if she released him, he would disappear from her life again. And she 'definitely' didn't want that. "Ranma..." She sobbed into his shirt. "Ranma!"
"Ranma Saotome! How dare you betray a beautiful, sweet girl like Akane!" Usagi and Ranma pulled away to watch as Ryouga appeared, charging towards them with the familiar red bamboo umbrella in his hand. "Prepare to di-!" He skidded to a stop just inches away from them when he finally got a good look at the young woman in Ranma's arms.
"Usagi?!"
(BS: Hehehe... Krys-chan! Your turn, for now. =P)
(Krys: Right away, captain! *salutes, while grinning*)
(BS: Captain? O_O orooooo? )
(Krys: Just kidding. *grins*)
Usagi studied his face before recognition dawned in her eyes. "Ryouga?"
*Flashback*
"Now Ryouga, please don't wander too far," said a woman with long black hair softly. She was looking down at a six-year old boy who was wearing a yellow and black bandana and was curiously studying his surroundings.
"Okay mommy," Ryouga replied happily. His mother left to sit down at one of the near benches to chat with a friend.
The young boy then realized he was very thirsty. He tried to find a drinking fountain on his own, not wanting to bother his parent. However, he found himself by the swings of a playground after merely five minutes. He looked around for his mother, but to the child's dismay, she was nowhere in sight. He fell backwards on his behind and began to cry.
"Please don't cry," a sweet voice requested. "What's the matter?"
Ryouga lifted his tear-streaked face to see a five-year old girl standing in front of him. She had large bright blue eyes and curly blonde hair. Her hair was pulled into two pigtails on her head, reaching her shoulders. She had a curious smile on her face as she tilted her head to the side. For some strange reason, Ryouga began to trust this girl.
"I-I'm lo-lost," he stuttered. He lowered his gaze to the ground.
"Maybe I can help you!" she chirped. She continued to smile at him as she dug her foot in the sand of the playground. "By the way, my name's Usagi!"
He looked up at her in disbelief and gratitude. "You'd really help me?" he asked, eyes wide.
"Of course!" She looked as if the answer was the most obvious thing in the world. "Friends help each other, right?"
"Fr-friends?" he asked quietly, but hopefully.
"Don't you want to be friends....?" Usagi realized that she didn't know the boy's name. She pouted slightly as she crossed her arms. "And friends tell each other their names! I told you mine, so you hafta tell me yours!"
"It's Ry-Ryouga," he whispered. He stared into her blue eyes and saw the kindness she held. He played with his fingers as he stared at her self-consciously from his spot on the ground.
"Ryouga..." Usagi looked as if she was testing the name out. After a moment or two, she gave him a thumbs-up sign. "That's a sugoi name!"
Ryouga couldn't resist the urge to blush. "Thanks," he murmured.
She leaned in closer to him. "You sure don't talk much," she observed. She began to circle his body.
"What are you doing?" he asked nervously. He twisted his body around to look at her again.
"Nothing," she replied. She plopped down beside him. "Do you live here? I don't, I'm just on vacation."
"Hai, I live here," Ryouga replied, the blush he had moments ago gone. He drew his knees to his chest, resting his chin on them. "But I don't really know my way around..."
"Ryouga! Ryouga, where are you?!"
The two children both heard the frantic voice. The young boy brightened as he realized it was his mother. "Mommy!" he exclaimed joyfully. He jumped up and began to run to where he thought he heard the voice. However, a hand stopped him. He turned around to see Usagi raising an eyebrow at him. "What are you doing that for, Usagi?!" he demanded.
"Your mother is that way, Ryou-kun," Usagi replied. She pointed to the opposite direction of where he had been heading. A woman with black hair was calling out his name again.
Ryouga blushed for a second time that day at the nickname she gave him and for feeling stupid about not knowing what direction to go in. "Sorry," he mumbled. "Thanks for your help, Usagi-chan."
It was Usagi's turn to blush, and she smiled brilliantly at him. "No problem, Ryou-kun! We'll see each other again!" She skipped away to her own mother, who was also calling for her.
Ryouga felt the blush grow stronger as he stared after her. "Kawaii..." he breathed absently. Then he turned around, only to find himself in the embrace of his mother. "Mom!" he exclaimed, suddenly embarrassed. His eyes strayed to Usagi's form leaving the playground. "I hope I'll see you once more..."
The two friends would meet each other again, but not for another eight years.
*End Flashback*
"Ryou-kun!" Usagi exclaimed in sudden joy. For one moment, she forgot about Ranma. She ran forward and embraced him. "I haven't seen you in two months! I was wondering when you would wander around to Juuban again!" She giggled. Her voice dropped to a low whisper, so only he could hear. "Thank you... for being there when Ranma left me."
Ryouga had stiffened noticeably when Usagi had hugged him. 'I can't betray Akane! But Usagi's so sweet and kind...' He was brought out of his thoughts when Usagi's words sank in. "You mean... Ranma's the baka that left you!?"
"Let's not talk about this now, okay Ryou-kun?" Usagi pleaded, pulling away from him and tugging on his shirtsleeve.
Ryouga could barely contain his rage. However, when he looked down in her blue eyes, all of his anger promptly shrank away for the time being. "As you wish, Usagi-chan." This time he wrapped his arms around her form, despite some of the voices protesting in his mind. 'I just need to hold her, like I wish I could with Akane...' He noticed Ranma scowling at him, but he just glared back. Ryouga now had another reason to kill Ranma. He hurt Usagi and that was reason enough for his resolve. He then smirked over his friend's shoulder at the other martial artist, Saotome was jealous.
Ranma narrowed his eyes as Ryouga pressed Usagi against him. Somehow, Usagi knew Ryouga and vice versa. Ranma clenched his fists as he continued to watch Ryouga embrace *his* Usa-chan. 'Why that little pig!' he thought, scowling. 'He doesn't have any right to hold Usa-chan like that! And especially when he has Akari and he's after Akane too!'
After a minute or so, Usagi pulled back. She gave Ryouga a peck on the cheek. "Nice to see you again, Ryou-kun," she whispered. She twirled a piece of her blond hair as she studied him.
Ryouga broke out into a full blush. "Yo-you to-too, Us-Usa-Usagi-chan," he stammered, fiddling with his umbrella.
Usagi laughed playfully, bringing a hand to her lips. She smiled kindly at him. "Now... why were you about to attack Ran-kun, Ryou-kun?" She looked into his eyes.
Ryouga suddenly became very flustered. "Well, you see- Umm... the fact of the matter is-" He stopped short and tried to think of what to say.
Ranma began to sweat profusely, realizing that Usagi had no idea of the chaos that was now his life. She especially didn't know about all the trouble his father caused him. He groaned as he recalled some of her last words to him.
"Ran-kun, your father is the one who causes all your problems. Can't you see that? He'll end up ruining your whole life."
Ranma couldn't help but regret not listening to Usagi. Her prediction had been right. Back then he thought he was just listening to the excuses of a hurt and angry girlfriend. Turns out she had been thinking logically the whole time. He begun his way towards the pair.
Usagi pursed her lips as a thoughtful expression took over her face. "Oh, and what did you mean by 'How dare you betray a beautiful, sweet girl like Akane'?" She inquired curiously, waiting for an answer. "Who's Akane?"
Ryouga gathered his wits, and smirked to himself. This would definitely hit Ranma hard. "Akane is Ranma's fiancée," he said somewhat bitterly.
Usagi's curious smile froze as she felt a surge of pain rush through her body. She couldn't believe what she heard. She slowly shut her eyes as she felt the tears coming. 'Baka! Did you think he would still love you after all this time spent apart?! Besides, you have Mamoru!' Her inner voice practically screamed at her.
Ryouga's smirk was wiped off his face as he realized what he had just done. His plan was backfiring on him. Ranma would be getting hurt, but Usagi would be too. 'Oh no! Why did I have to open my big mouth?' he groaned. He resisted the urge to hit himself with his umbrella.
Usagi looked down as she took a few deep-calming breaths, before she whirled around to face Ranma. She did it so fast that it startled him freezing him in his tracks. "Is it true?" she demanded. He didn't speak instead he turned away from her unable to meet her eye. Tears trailed down her cheeks as she guessed the answer. But she still needed his confirmation. She needed to hear it from his own mouth, to see if all they had was nothing but a waste of time. "Is it true?!" she repeated, practically screaming while drawing strange looks from pedestrians walking by.
Ranma kept avoiding her penetrating but beautiful blue eyes, before he decided he had no choice but to answer her. "Yes, Akane's my fiancée, but-" His explanation was cut short when Usagi began to talk again, but in a deadly calm voice.
"Gomen nasai. I probably just wasted your time, Saotome-san," Usagi whispered, watching as Ranma flinched. "I'll be leaving now." She turned around with the intent of leaving behind her first love forever and moving onto the future which she was destined for... When he grabbed her arm.
"Usagi, please! You have to listen to me!" he pleaded. He was trying desperately not to panic. Usagi was going to leave his life again. He couldn't let that happen. "Yes, Akane is my fiancée but there's an explanation!"
Usagi wrenched her arm away from Ranma's grasp. "What?! You just happened to propose to her?" she said sarcastically. She rolled her eyes as more tears escaped from them. Just a few minutes ago was the happiest moments in her life, now she felt as if her whole world was gone leaving nothing behind but just a nightmare.
"Just listen to me!" Ranma exclaimed desperately, he was not just going to lose the love of his live just because of some misunderstanding as several people stare at him. Usagi looked at him reluctantly, trying to dry her eyes. This was sort of embarrassing, but she sincerely hoped that there was a good reason. "It's an arranged marriage." That was all he said before Usagi threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly while burying her head in his chest.
"It was Genma, wasn't it?" He heard Usagi's muffled voice ask.
"Hai," he replied. Ranma wrapped his arms loosely around her waist, while keeping an eye on Ryouga, making sure he didn't cause any more trouble. He looked down at Usagi's head of blond hair, a question nagging in his mind. "How did you know?"
"I knew your father was trouble, Ranma," Usagi whispered as she turned her head. She stared into his alluring grey-blue eyes. "Didn't I warn you?" She saw a flicker of pain pass through his face. "He's done more, hasn't he Ran-kun?" He didn't answer her, and she placed her palm against his cheek. "What else has happened that I don't know about?"
Ranma opened his mouth to say something but no words came out. He hid it all the time, the frustration he felt about his father. Genma and Mr. Tendo talked daily about honor and such, when Ranma's father rarely had any left. He caused most of Ranma's problems, and he left Ranma to deal with it. Yet Ranma put up with it, and the every-day chaos was now a part of his hectic life. Sometimes... he just wanted it all to stop, so he could have peace.
Usagi blinked as he made no reply. She was about to comment when a roar of thunder stopped her. "Eep!" she exclaimed. She jumped into Ranma's arms immediately, hiding her face.
Ranma gained a blank look as he glanced at the girl in his arms. He then looked up towards Ryouga. The lost boy had his arms crossed, just watching the couple. His brown eyes flickered with some unknown emotion as he answered Ranma's silent question.
"She's afraid of thunder, remember?" Ryouga said, shrugging his shoulders. He let his gaze drift upwards. The trio had been so busy conversing, they did not take notice of the sky darkening.
"Oh," was all Ranma said at first. "Well then, we'd better get inside before it starts to ra-" He stopped in mid-sentence as his face paled.
Another clap of thunder pierced the atmosphere, making Usagi wrap her arms even tighter around Ranma. "Thunder doesn't hurt you. Thunder doesn't hurt you," she chanted quietly, squeezing her eyes shut.
"I gotta get back to the dojo," Ranma muttered to himself, breaking into another sweat. He didn't know how Usagi would handle his curse either. However, before he could even take a step, lightning and thunder roared again. Except this time, it also brought rain and lots of it. Ranma soon found himself, or in this case herself, drenched.
Usagi opened her eyes in surprise. She had felt a sudden change in Ranma's body, which she found to be a little disturbing. She looked up, expecting to see his familiar black hair and grey-blue eyes. She was rewarded only half of her expectation. This person had fiery red hair and was staring down nervously at her. Usagi also noted the fact that the person now holding her was a she, not a he. The blond was about to ask the girl who she was, when she noticed the grey-blue eyes that she could never forget.
Usagi's mouth went dry as a suspicion flashed through her mind. "Ra-Ranma?" she stuttered, eyes becoming as wide as saucers.
The redhead smiled at her uncertainly, totally ignoring the rain splashing down on them. "Hai," she squeaked out. 'Baka! Baka! Baka! Do you have to sound so stupid?!' she berated herself.
Neither of the girls noticed as Ryouga held his umbrella over the both of them, effectively stopping the rain from pouring down on them. He had opened his umbrella just in time, avoiding the change of his cursed form. He watched as Usagi just stared while Ranma-chan looked like she wanted to hide herself. 'Usagi should figure it out, since she knows about my curse... but I think she's still gonna go into shock,' he thought to himself.
Usagi could do nothing but stare at the redhead holding her. This was Ranma? Her Ranma? Something began nagging at the back of her head, something that could help her solve this puzzle. "Jusenkyo," she murmured absently.
"Nani?!" Ranma-chan shouted. Unconsciously, she tightened her hold on the blond. 'How could Usa-chan know about that?'
Usagi gave Ranma one last glance before her eyes rolled upwards and she fell limp in a faint.
(BS: Hi, hiii! Me again! Krys wanted to let end it here but I can't allow that! =P)
"Usagi!"
* * * * *
"Did... did Usagi lose someone close to her, Ms Tsukino?"
Ikuko looked down at her teacup. From what the girls have just told her about what happened in the meeting was... upsetting. She never knew that Usagi was so affected by the lost of Ranma. "I rather not say, I'm sorry." She calmly took a sip of her tea while her eyes were closed. "If Usagi wished for you to know, then she will tell you herself."
The girls sat there stunned. Her mother wouldn't tell them if Usagi was guilty of a death of a love one or not. It was only then they did realize just how little they knew of Usagi's past. Usagi was just always so cheerful, bright and happy, like there was nothing wrong in the world. She was just so carefree that no one would ever suspect that she would be carrying this burden all to herself. They wondered how Usagi really did deal with all the events that happened in the past 2 years. They wondered how different Usagi would've been if she wasn't Sailor Moon.
"Please Ms Tsukino," said Rei desperately as she stood up, placing her hand down hard onto the table. "Did this person Usagi loved pass away?"
Ikuko opened a eye and looked at the remorse faces of the four girls then, burst out laughing. A few of them were hurt and confused while the others were annoyed and angry. "Ms Tsukino!" scowled Ami, "This is a serious question! Please answer it..." She then lowered her eyes. She had to know.
Ikuko looked down at the table, "I'm sorry girls. But the thought of..." She wiped her eyes. "It's been a really stressful day and I do apologize." She looked back up at the girls. "No, he did not pass away." She paused, deciding to tell them a little information so they would cease to worry so much. "Or at least I hope not." She placed a finger on her cheek as if in thought. The girls face-faulted.
"She was in love with a boy and she just never got over it, that baka." Everyone turned around and watched as Shingo entered the room. "He was hospitalized when Usagi first met him. They soon became friends and started dating." He started walking to the next room. "You know how it's always hard to forget your first love."
The girls stared after him as he walked away. "Is that true Ms. Tsukino?" asked Minako. "Did Usagi really have a boyfriend before Mamoru-san?"
Ikuko nodded somberly, "Hai... Unfortunately he was a martial artist and soon after they confessed their loves to each other, his father had to taken him away. Usagi had taken his absence very hard and locked the memory of him up. Until today it seems..."
They became all lost in their thoughts. 'Usagi...'
* * * * *
Naru sighed, Ranma and Usagi still weren't back yet. She hoped that things were going well with them. She just couldn't believe that Ranma already had a fiancee. Three, in fact! This was going to hurt Usagi a lot. She smiled appreciately at Kasumi who was pouring some tea for her. "Arigato."
Kasumi smiled back as she went to pour some tea for Nabiki. She watched as Genma and Soun were talking... arguing about Usagi. Naru sighed again.
Akane, who was Ranma's fiancee with the Tendo family suddenly entered the room and had apparently overheard the situation as she started screaming. "Usagi can marry that hentai, baka jerk for all I care!" She then stormed back to her room, slamming the door. Naru could've sworn that she saw tears in the girl's eyes but shrugged it off when Soun started wailing about the schools would never join.
Naru sweatdropped. Maybe Usagi learnt her wailings off this man?
She then heard people entering from the gates. 'That must be Ranma and Usagi!' She stood up and ran to the door when she froze. There was her best friend was unconscious in the arms of a redhead stranger and with a familiar cute boy.
"Usagi!" Naru ran to the girl and grabbed her friend out of the stranger's arms, placing her down on the ground. She glared up angrily at the redhead, "What happened to her?!"
Ranma flinched. Why did he always had to hurt people he loved? Without another word, the redhead turned around sprinted away with hurt in her eyes. "Gomen nasai!"
Ryouga stared at the disappearing redhead then looked down at the blond on the ground. He knew what he must do. Usagi needed Ranma, just as Ranma needed Usagi. Despite his hatred for Ranma, he knew love between the two was very rare and he had to bring those two together again. This was probably the only way Usagi could really be happy again. He took off and sprinted after the redhead.
Naru just blinked in confusion. "Araaa?" (or orooo?)
To be continued...
* * * * *
Well I hoped that you all liked that! I hope that I made anyone laugh because apparently people have either swoon or cried, soo.... *shrugs* Any last words Krys-chan?
Krys: *looks up from manga* Huh? It's done already? O_O
BS: *rolls eyes* Yes, Krys-chan.
Krys: Oh. *sweatdrops, while laughing nervously*
*Bambi & readers face-fault*
Krys: Show Bambi-chan how much she's appreciated!! *puts hands on hips* You all appreciate what she's done... don't you? *glares at silent readers* ......
BS: *wails* Wahhh! Nobody loves me!
Krys: *becomes thoughtful, while ignoring BS*
=P
BS: Hmph! *pouts then folds her arms in front of her chest* Ahhh, who need you anyways... *sniff sniff*
Krys: Uhh... I guess all I have to say left is... I hope you enjoyed it and stay tuned for the previews of next week's episode! *peace sign*
Bambi & readers: *blank look*
BS: orrrooooooooo? Episode? Where, where? *looks around eagerly* Hey! There is no episode!
Krys: *realizes what she said and blushes furiously* I mean, I hope you enjoyed reading and look out for Chapter 3! *looks around* Did I do it right this time?
BS: *sighs, while shaking her head exasperately* Some things just never change...