CRYSTAL TEARS
Chapter 4
*****
Everything was ready.
She couldn't help but feel proud.
All, this; it was her doing, proof of her cunningness.
Nabiki smiled to herself as she looked out the window of the plane.
Taking a moment to look around, she took in her surroundings. It was
true what they said; everything did look better 30 thousand feet in the air.
It was all so small.
She left the window, stood up and headed for the wash room. Once nature's
call had been answered, she didn't go back to her seat. Instead, she took
to the cockpit.
"So boys, how are we doing?" she asked the two pilots.
"All good Miss Tendo. We should be arriving within the next three hours."
"Good. Now, take that time..."
The main pilot looked at her.
"And reduce it to half. We DO NOT have anything, even a second, to waste.
Keep it up." She left the small room, leaving two pilots sweating in
nervousness.
Nabiki mentally patted her back. To have done all this, within two days, was
a personal best. It was amazing what you could do, or the pull you could get,
when you followed the Japanese Embassador around. Especially when you caught him
in a very promising situation in a hotel bedroom with a woman who wasn't his wife.
Or a woman, in his case.
She pulled out a small notebook from her carry-on and began writing within it.
In it's pages was the very detailed plan that she and Mousse had come up with.
Well, she came up with it mostly. Mousse was more of the guide of their little
group. She had to admit, she did love the quiet you could get in a private
plane, not to mention all the luxuries as well.
After a few minutes, she put the notebook away and looked around the small plane.
There were a few empty seats, but that was natural, seeing as to how only
herself and four other people were traveling.
She looked to her side, seeing Akane asleep. A few rows back was Mousse, who
was looking out the window and obviously deep in thought. Ukyo took to
the back of the plane, expressing her need for the washroom in an immediate
situation. She had done so once she had expressed her slight fear of planes.
She sighed, hoping they would be in time.
While she was here, she still couldn't believe what she was doing.
Ranma, to her, had always been nothing more than a way to spend money. Her
favorite way, she had once told herself. His antics and insane life had given
her a chance to use that checkbook she had so eagerly looked forward to putting
into good use.
Aside from that, he was just a guest. What really surprised her, upon hearing
of his capture, was that it actually hurt. It left a sharp pain in her heart
that was hard to deal with. It was then that she realized that she actually
did like Ranma. Not only that, but she had grown fond of the boy and actually
did look forward to the day when she could call him: 'brother'.
Aside from that, her mother had asked of her that if anything should happen
to her, she look after her sisters. She had taken that to heart, and was not
about to let some amazons ruin her little sister's happiness. She wasn't
as cold as people thought she was.
She looked at Akane's sleeping figure. *Don't you worry sis, we're gonna get
your guy back. Or my name is Nabiki Tendo!*
-----
She was lost.
No matter where she looked, she didn't recognize a thing.
Strange people were around her. Nobody she knew. They didn't even notice she
was there.
*Where am I?* she said. Nobody heard her.
'Akane...'
The voice was familiar. She knew who it was.
'Akane...'
There it was again. She looked in all directions. All the people were gone,
replaced with lush vegetation. Trees and bushes as far as she could see.
'Akane...I...'
She couldn't lose the voice. She ran in it's direction, hopping it wouldn't
go away. When her feet couldn't carry her anymore, she stopped.
*Where are you? Please, keep talking.*
"I...Akane..."
*Ranma, where are you?*
'Come Akane...let's go play...'
She looked everywhere. Nothing.
'Come and play...'
Akane was getting desperate. Why couldn't she see him!?
*Ranma, where are you!? Let me see you...*
She ran again, going so slowly. It seemed as if she wasn't moving at all.
'I'm waiting for you...Come, let's go play...'
Suddenly, there he was. It was night now. Moonlight reflected off a lake,
which he was standing near to.
*Ranma...*
Ranma would not move. He just stood there, staring at the calm waters that
hypnotized him.
*Ranma..? Ranma!*
She ran to him, as fast as she could go. Her feet would move, but her body
would not. Slowly, she came up to him, almost within her reach.
*Ranma!* She extended her arms as she neared him.
Suddenly, another person was there. A woman, standing next to him, cuddling
up to him.
The woman turned and looked Akane in the eyes.
*Shampoo...*
Shampoo smiled a sly grin and giggled as she did. She hugged Ranma's waist
with one arm.
*No... No!*
Ranma's arm came around her shoulders...
*Get away from my Ranma, you hussy!*
'Too late Akane. Now,' she looked at Ranma, 'he's mine. I won.'
*NO! I won't let you take him!* She ran, but moved slower than before.
Ranma turned to look at her. 'Good-bye...'
*NO! RANMA!*
'Akane. Good-bye.'
With that, both slowly dissappeared, just as she reached them. She tried grabbing
onto the last of Ranma's silk red shirt, but her hand was too late. She crumbled
to her knees.
*Ranma...*
The forest seemed to laugh at her. A low laughter that drove her to despair. Tears
spilled from her eyes.
*Ranma...*
-----
Akane jolted awake. She breathed in hard, but was subdued when she realized she
was still in the plane. Nabiki hadn't noticed.
She sighed, re-acommodated herself and sank into deep thought.
*I'll get you back Ranma. Don't worry...*
She stopped thinking as she looked out the plane.
*****
Stripped of everything instead of some blue silk pants, Ranma went through
a kata he had been taught be the elder Cologne that same day.
He had practically been the village envy once Cologne had asked if she could train
him. The men looked at him weird, but the women... He stopped his work-out and
shuddered at the memory.
He had gotten at least four different challenges from several of the female
villagers in the past few days. Although, Shampoo had been with him those times
and one look from her made the women flee.
He resumed where he had left off. He had no idea why he was so skilled in the
fighting arts. He was told by Cologne that he had been the best male warrior
before he had lost his memory. Even Shampoo, the best of the female fighters,
could not defeat him.
He wished he remembered it though.
There was one thing that bothered him though.
He had watched a few matches within the village, which appeared to hold almost
weekly tournaments. Only the women fought, of course, but he did have the
distinct ability to recognize their style. Of course there were individual
variations, but it was generally the same.
So, why didn't he fight with that style?
The one thing he did kind of remember, to a subconscious level, was the way he
should move while training. The way he should flex and very well calculated
movements. But, the weren't anything like the style most others used. It
seemed that he moved without limits, without boudaries.
He hadn't told anyone that yet, deciding he would like to explore it for himself.
The last step in the kata was a rising Cresent kick, which was followed by an axe
kick. He executed the move nothing short of perfect. He stayed in his ready stance
for a few moments, finally standing strait and bowing at the shrine in the big
training hall.
Drencehd in sweat, he made his way to his shirt, which was on the floor, near his
shoes. Using his blue-sleeveless shirt as a towel, he wiped the sweat off his
forehead. He sighed in relief and exhaustion.
Then, without warning, there it was again.
Only, it was different.
He looked intently at the shirt, not sure of what he was feeling.
*.ap.y ..rth..y .an..*
Where had he heard that?
Suddenly, he couldn't breath. He grasped his head as a sharp stinging sensation
invaded his mind. It was way too intense, nothing like the previous ones.
"What is this!? AAAAHHHH!"
Memories flooded his mind. Of a house. People he saw, but were gone almost
immediately.
One, though...
A girl?
Her memory made him scream out in pain. Her touch...
Her smile...
Her...
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"
His whole body shook. The feeling would just not not go away. If anything, it got
worse.
An alarmed Shampoo burst through the door.
"AIREN!" She kneeled next to him, still alarmed.
"Shampoo! What is this!!!!?"
She held him tight to her. Her presence seemed to soothe him.
"What is this..." he said as he held onto her. The feeling slowly vanished.
"Is ok Airen. Shampoo is here."
Ranma nodded as he still hugged her. The feeling was gone, but something lingered
within the deepest recesses of his mind.
What was that?
Why did he suddenly remember?
And more importantly...
Who was that girl he saw in his memories?
His breathing became rugged as he struggled for answers.
End of Chapter 4
Author's notes
Well, things are getting a little more interesting, ne?
Well, Chapter 5 will be out soon. The story is about half-way done, but not
quite yet.
'Till next time...
BlackDragon