CRYSTAL TEARS
Chapter 2
*****
It had been a day.
No Shampoo...
No Cologne...
And... no Ranma.
The Tendo clan, Genma and Nodoka and Mousse were sitting in the tea room.
It was until this early hour at night that Mousse had been able to recover
from his 'incident'.
"How could they do that to my son!?" screamed Nodoka as she clung to
Genma, random sobs escaping her.
"We must get him back at all costs!" said Genma.
Mousse sighed. "It will not be possible."
"What!?" everyone shreiked.
"Cologne was expecting this. I'm certain she has increased the level of security
around Joketsuzoku. She has every intention of keeping Ranma away from you all."
"Then we must act quickly! A sneak attack will be most effective!" said Soun.
Mousse's eyes looked down. "I fear it may already be too late."
Soun burst into tears.
"Surely, there must be a way," said Kasumi, her normally calm demeanor broken
and replaced with terrible worry for Ranma.
"I wish there was."
At all this, Akane was sitting near the Koi* pond, unresponsive. She had been
like that all day. Not talking, eating or anything else. All she did was hug
Ranma's pack tightly to her. A vacant look on her face.
"But how or why the hell didn't you stop them Mousse!?" yelled out Nabiki.
This kind of behavior from her was rare. It was obvious she too was worried.
"Believe me, I couldn't. I did not find out about their plan until that same morning.
I came across some paralysis powder in Shampoo's room, which was odd. She usually
never uses it. I found it as I was about to clean the house. Immediately,
something hit me on the head. It was probably the old hag, since it knocked
me out cold.
"When I came to, I was in my room, but I was in my cursed form and inside a cage;
my wings and beak were tied up. And, there was some purple incense clouding the room."
"What was that?" asked Soun.
"Poison. A very effective poison, but it takes time to take effect. I had to be
exposed to it for at least a day. Thankfully, Akane found me in the nick of
time. Anyway, I couldn't focus my eyes, but I could hear the witch. She made sure
I wouldn't interfere in any way."
"But she failed. Akane saved you, so now you can help us get our son back,"
pleaded Nodoka.
Mousse's face betrayed no emotion, nor did his words. "No. I cannot."
"Yes you can!" said a voice from outside.
Everyone stared at Akane as she picked Mousse up by his tunic. "You have to
help us! You're the only one who can! You have to take me, US, to your
village so we can save him!!"
Mousse stood, thus breaking free of Akane. He took a few steps outside, standing just
on the ledge of the pond. "Cologne has made sure. She has..."
"What!? Out with it already!" said Akane.
"She has banished me from Joketsuzoku."
"What!?" said everyone.
"As an elder, she has judged me an unproper amazon, and thus a disgrace to the tribe.
If I ever go near there again, I will be hunted down and killed."
Akane felt a tear stream down her cheek. "Please," she pleaded, "you have to
help..." she said as she placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm sorry..."
Akane broke at his pronouncement. A loud sob escaped her; she tore her hand away
and ran into the house; up the stairs, banging the door shut behind her.
"Ohh, my baby girl is suffering! We must help her!" said a wailing Soun.
Kasumi looked at the despair that surrounded her. "I shall talk to Akane.
Nabiki."
Nabiki looked at her sister.
"Above all, you are the most skilled at this kind of situation. You MUST find some
way to get him back. Mousse, please, tell my family all we need to know about
your village. Any information will be most helpful. Now," she said as she stood.
"We must not despair. My little brother is in danger. I'm worried too, but we
must handle this with care."
Nabiki and Mousse looked at each other, at Kasumi and nodded. They went upstairs
to Nabiki's room and closed the door. Genma and Soun started to try and apeace
Nodoka, who was now crying freely. Kasumi made her way up to Akane's room.
"Akane?" she said as she opened the door, finding her little sister sprawled
on her bed, her pillow on her face and crying loudly.
She took a seat next to Akane, as she sat up. She brought her little sister's
head to the crook of her arm and cooed.
"Don't worry. You'll see we will get him back."
"Ranma...(sob)"
"Remember the words of our mother Akane: 'Never let anything bring you down'.
You must be strong."
Akane's hands grabbed handfulls of Kasumi's dress. "I'm so scared Onee-chan!*
What are they going to do to him!? I have to save him..."
"You will save him. You will," she said as she carresed her hair.
"I can't lose him, onee-chan..."
"Akane..."
"I can't lose him to those amazons..."
"You won't, Akane."
"I can't lose him..."
Kasumi remained silent.
"I love him... I can't lose him."
Kasumi hugged her sister tight, a tear of her own sliding down her face.
"We will bring him back."
There were a few soft knocks on the door.
"Come in," said Kasumi.
Mousse stepped inside. "I'm sorry if I am intruding, but we cannot waste any time."
Akane looked up to him through her swollen eyes.
"Nabiki is calling in favors with the embassy. She shall have everything ready
for our departure within two days time."
"Our?" asked Akane.
Mousse nodded. "I am no longer an amazon, but I cannot allow Cologne and Shampoo
to get away with this. As much as we fought, I respected Ranma, and will not see
him caught in such a petty and stupid law. I will help you, at any cost."
Akane smiled, a small tingle of hope in her eyes. "Thank you..."
"However, I cannot go too near the village, so for a time you will be on your own.
First, we must consult with a friend of mine."
"Who?" asked Kasumi.
"He knows much more about the amazons than I. We may need his advice."
For the first time that day, Akane felt hope swelling in her heart.
*****
Ranma slowly opened his eyes, groaning as he sat up.
*What happened?*
He was in a small room, a cottage room really, with some light from a lamp that hurt
his eyes.
*Where am I?*
He looked around the unfamiliar surroundings. Nothing started a spark in his memory.
He also realized...
He didn't remember much at all.
He swung his legs to sit on the side of the bed, holding his head.
*What is this? Where am I? WHO am I!?*
The door flung open. He stared at the unfamiliar woman before him.
"AIREN!* You awake! Oh, Shampoo was so worried!" she said as she hugged him.
"What? Why are you... Who are you!?"
Shampoo looked into his eyes. "Is okay, airen. You fall off cliff while training and
hit head. Sleep for three days. Probably forget all."
Ranma stared back, breathing in hard. His head did feel a little sore.
"I fell?"
"Yes, but no worry. Shampoo here. She take care of airen." She hugged him again.
Ranma felt an odd feeling in his heart as he hugged back. This all felt...wrong?
Was that it? It felt as if he wasn't supposed to be here.
Shampoo smiled. *Now, Ranma, you will be mine,* she thought.
End of Chapter 2
Authors notes
The plot thickens...
Well, as I promised, here is chapter two, right on schedule. Sorry if the chapters
so far seem short, but believe me, you haven't seen anything yet. Didn't expect Ranma
to lose his memory, huh? You'll know why this is so, later. I know Kasumi seems a
little OOC, but what would you do if your family was suffering?
*Onee-chan: a title. Just like saying; 'Older Sister'
*Airen: a chinese word which is the same as saying; 'Beloved'
*Koi: japanese for; 'Fish'
'Till we meet again...
BlackDragon