CRYSTAL TEARS
Chapter 8 & Epilogue
No more tears...
*****
The ball of chi was unlike any of them had ever seen. They had seen Cologne use shi on
occasions, but never like this. It was huge. Not even Ranma and Ryouga combined
could form something like this.
All of them covered their faces, shielding themselves from the blindinly bright
light. It carried such force, that even the trees swayed at it's power.
Akane had no choice but to take cover. Even she couldn't get anywhere near the
energy. She could only hope for the best.
*Oh God, please let him be alright...*
Seconds later, the energy began to diminish, until it finally dissapeared. Akane
opened her eyes and without thinking, ran straight for the spot where Ranma had
been, tears in her eyes.
Ukyo, Nabiki and Mousse opened their eyes when they heard the sounds of running,
to see Akane dashing towards a still standing Ranma.
"That's impposible!" yelled Mousse. "No one can survive that blast!"
Cologne cackled. "I never lose! The amazons will punish those who do not respect
their superiority!" She looked at the elders who were still restraining her,
but now they were glaring at her.
"You are quite right," said an elder. "A great punishment will be placed upon those
who do not respect our laws. Yourself included!"
With that, the four women began chanting. A dark red aura surrounded Cologne. She
tried to escape, but was trapped. She screamed, but no one heard her. The aura
dissapeared, along with her...
Akane ran as fast as she could. Ranma had pushed a pretty big distance.
*He's standing! He's okay!*
She was glad to see that Ranma was still standing. Somehow, he had survived that-
then he collapsed on his knees.
*No...*
He fell face first on the ground.
"RANMA!!!"
Akane got to him just as he hit the ground. She kneeled next to him. She turned him
around and rested his body in her lap, supporting him with her arms.
"Ranma?" Her voice was full of fear.
Mousse ran to them. Ukyo collapsed on her knees, her eyes shedding tears automatically.
Nabiki knelt down with her, keeping her eyes on her sister.
Mousse got down near Akane. He looked at Ranma.
"He's alive..."
Akane looked at Ranma's face more intently. Indeed, he was breathing!
"Ranma!" She shook his body lightly, not enough to hurt him.
Ranma slowly opened his eyes. He looked at Akane and smiled.
"A...kane..." he said weakly.
"Shh. Don't talk. Save your strength."
"It's okay... At least you're safe..."
"Ranma... Please, don't talk like that..."
"You had better stay with us, Saotome. I don't want to kick your ass if you die!"
said Mousse.
Ranma looked at Mousse, smiling as well. "Mousse, thanks for helping Akane..."
His eyes closed just a bit.
"Ranma!" said Akane loudly as she shook him.
Ranma's eyes opened to where they were. "Sorry... I'm just so tired..."
"Please don't say that, Ranma..." said Akane, her voice breaking.
"It's alright. I feel good... at peace..."
"No, Ranma..."
Ranma smiled. Beyond them, the elders were listening intently; Cologne was nowhere
to be seen. Nabiki was comforting Ukyo, who couldn't seem to stop sobbing.
"Akane..." Ranma's left hand came up. Akane graped it. "Thank you... You came
here to get me....
"I..."
"What is it?" asked Akane.
"I remember..."
Mousse lifted his glasses above his eyes. He remembered?
"Wh.. what?"
"Yeah, I remember now. Eveything... I- I'm so..."
"Yes?" said Akane, who was crying now.
"I'm so sorry. For all the things I said and did. I know I made you cry. I'm so sorry..."
"No..." said Akane.
"The insults, all of it... I never knew what to say. I didn't know... how.. to,
tell you... so many things..."
"Ranma," she said, looking into his eyes. "I love you. Don't do this..."
Ranma smiled, blinking slowly. "I'm sorry too, Mousse. I kept something you love from
you... all because I wasn't brave enough to tell her off..."
Shampoo came near them and kneeled next to Mousse. "Shampoo is so sorry Ranma...
I never wanted for things to be like this. I so sorry..." she said before she
cupped her face and cried. Mousse brought his arm around her shoulders; she leanned
into his embrace.
"I forgive you Shampoo. I'm so sorry too..."
"Thank you, Ranma..." she said between sobs.
"Ranma," said Akane, drawing his attention again. "I'm sorry too. I never gave you the
chance to explain. I was jealous and angry. I didn't want you near other girls. I
wanted you all for myself..."
Ranma gave a weak chuckle. His hand came up to carress her cheek.
"The only regret I have..."
*No...*
"Is that I didn't get to spend my life... loving you..."
*Please no...*
"But... to have loved you for a second..."
"Ranma..."
"I feel as if I've lived..."
"RANMA!"
"... a lifetimes' worth." He smiled at her eyes. His eyes closed slowly. The grip on her
hand softening. The hand that touched her cheek slowly slid off her face...
The smile vanished as the last breath left his body.
"Ranma?" Akane's hand touched his cheek. "Ranma, please wake up..."
Ukyo's sobs grew in intensity. She clung to Nabiki as if her life depended on it.
Nabiki looked at the scene before her. Never had she ever imagined it would turn
out this way. She did something she had not done since her mother died; her
eyes watered and tears slipped down from her cheeks.
"Please, wake up..."
Mousse drew in breath; he let it leave his lungs, but it threatened him to not cry.
He touched Akanes' shoulder, but got no responce. He stood, taking Shampoo with him.
He slowly led her back to Nabiki and Ukyo.
Akane refused to believe what she was seeing. "Ranma, you have to wake up..."
Her hand touched his chest. He was so warm. He just had to be...
"Wake up, please wake up..." She shook him gently. "Don't do this..."
Nabiki looked up at Mousse. He shook his head and looked down. Nabiki sobbed.
Something in her snapped. "DAMN YOU! YOU CAN'T DO THIS! I CAME HERE TO SAVe you...
"Don't you leaVE ME..." She hit his chest. "DON'T LEAVE ME! WAKE UP... WAKE UP!!!!!"
She waited for a response. Nothing. "YOU STUPID JERK!!! WHY!? WHY DID YOU HAVE TO
DO THIS!? WHy did you have to push me..." She chrushed her head into his chest
and cried loudly, shaking back and forth.
"You stupid idiot... I love you... I loveeee you...."
The elders looked to be handling this very well. They all lokked at eahc other, then
at the elder Mei. She nodded.
"Young lady," she said.
Akane, alomg woth everyone else, looked at her.
"Remember what it is to love."
Akane's swollen eyes gave away her vulnerability.
"Two bodies that share a same soul. That is all you need to know." With that, all the
elders turned and began walking away. Soon, they were no longer visible in the night.
Akane closed her eyes. What did she mean? She didn't understand...
She looked at Ranma, closed her eyes and touched her forehead to his. He was still
so warm, but now...
Was this how it was supposed to end? After all they had gone through, this was it?
It just couldn't be...
"AKANE!"
Akane looked up at her sister's voice. Nabiki was looking at them, along with everyone
else. "Look!" She pointed at her.
Akane suddenly felt something on her chest. She looked down and had stiffle a gasp.
A small spot on the dead center of her chest was glowing an intense blue. It was clear,
but a very intense shade.
*What...*
She squinted her eyes a bit as Ranma's chest also glowed in the same shade of blue.
She ran her hand gently over the glowing spot.
*What is this?*
Suddenly, she felt something materialize in her hand. She opened her palm and stared
at what she saw.
There it was. The small pebble of the strange blue rock Xangfie had given her. It now
glowed brighter than before.
*How did this get here? I left it in my pack...*
To a subconscious level, she knew what she had to do. She took the pebble and placed
it in Ranma's hand; her own encircling his hand. She gripped his hand tight as she
leaned forward and placed her lips upon his.
*Don't leave me... Come back to me...*
Akane felt something surging out of her spirit. It felt as if she was being drained.
She almost fainted.
All the group was astouned to see Ranma and Akane engulfed in a ball of bright blue.
They had to cover their eyes at the brightness. Within seconds, the light dissapeared,
leaving two people behind.
Akane slowly regained herself. Whatever that had been, it left her with no energy whatsoever.
She looked at Ranma...
And heard his breath...
"Ranma?"
Akane's mouth formed into a huge grin as Ranma slowly opened his eyes.
Ranma looked at Akane, smiling weakly. "Akane..."
No longer able to control herself, Akane hugged him tight, crying loudly.
Ranma smiled and brought his arms around her form, hugging back with what little
energy he had left, ignoring the two small rocks he had dropped on the ground.
Ukyo was the first to react. She stood and ran towards them, followed by Mousse and Shampoo.
Nabiki sighed and smiled. "Just another thing I don't ever want to figure out."
She walked over to the group and joined in.
-----
"Well, I guess it's time to say goodbye."
Ranma, Akane, Ukyo and Nabiki stood at the gates of Joketsuzoku, talking to
Shampoo and Mousse.
They had stayed for two days, waiting for Akane and Ranma to recuperate. Now that they had
regained their energy, it was time to go home.
Mousse and Shampoo bowed at them; they returned the gesture.
"Well, it was great. Thanks for everything," said Ranma.
"Ranma, Shampoo is..."
Ranma silenced her. "I don't want you to apologize anymore. It's okay, all forgiven.
Let's just let bygones be bygones."
"Thank you..."
"Are you sure you want to stay, Mousse?" asked Akane.
"Yes. This is my home. I have been away from it too long. It is time I came back."
"Well, thanks for all your help. Just visit once in a while," said Ukyo.
"Maybe we will. Take care you guys."
"It's gonna be a little boring without you to kick around, duck boy!" said Ranma.
"Don't start, Saotome. Next time we meet, we'll see who's getting better."
They shook hands. Nabiki was already ahead of them, waving and yeeling: 'Move it!'.
Ranma hugged Shampoo and joined Nabiki and Ukyo. Akane stayed behind for a moment.
She shook Mousse's hand. "Thanks for everything, Mousse.."
"It was my pleasure, Akane."
Akane smiled and kissed his cheek, then looked at Shampoo.
"Shampoo is still very sorry, Akane."
"I know, but I forgive you. Ranma did, so I guess I should too."
Shampoo smiled.
"Say, what about..."
Shampoo sensed what she wanted to ask. She shook her head slowly.
"Oh..."
"HEY AKANE! MOVE IT!" yelled out Nabiki.
Akane smiled. "See you around, you guys," then she trotted off, just as Shampoo and Mousse
went back into the village.
"Sorry," said Akane as she reached her group. "I was just saying 'bye."
Akane brought her arm around Ranma's waist. He brought his around her shoulders.
They walked in relative silence, until Ukyo spoke.
"You know, I still don't get how it worked, Ran-chan."
"I don't either, Ucchan, but I'm glad it did. I was just lost. Thne I felt something
pulling me, and then I was with Akane. I think it's one of those things you're
never supposed to know how it worked.
"I guess..." she responded lamely.
"Akane," Ranma said. She looked into his eyes.
"I can't say thank you, enough."
"Ranma, I'm just glad to have you back. We all are."
Ranma smiled and captured her lips with his.
Ukyo grunted and looked up, her hands coming near her shoulders. When were those two
going to stop that.
CLICK
Ranma, Akane and Ukyo looked at the camera Nabiki was holding. "I bet I can get about
2 thousand yen for each..."
"NABIKI!" screamed Akane.
"What!? A girl's gotta make a living. I could sell movie rights as well..."
"Give me that thing!" Akane ran after Nabiki.
"Hey, give it here!" yelled out Ranma as he also chased Nabiki.
Ukyo sighed happily. "Yup, it's good to have him back... Hey, wait for me!!!"
All four of them could be seen running in the forest.
-----
EPILOGUE
6 years later...
Nighttime in a late December day. It was a lazy night, perfect for sleeping
in. The streets were white from the snow, and all houses were dark. What was expected
at this late hour.
One room in the Tendo household, though, was lit up. The living room, really, only
counting on the illumination of a small nightlamp.
Two figures were moving around slowly, dancing to the beat of an unknown saxophonist.
His hands were on her hips; her's were snaked around his neck. They were each staring
into their eyes.
"Ya know, I got a letter from Shampoo yesterday."
"Really? What'd she say?"
"She's getting married in March. She wants us to be there."
"I can imagine to who," said Akane.
"It was high time she married Mousse, I say," said Ranma.
"You mean, like us? We just married last month."
He blushed. "Well, at least now we are ready. I doubt we would have been if we'd married
when our parents wanted us to."
"Yeah. I'm glad though."
"For what?"
"Idiot. I'm glad now I can call you mine."
"Tomboy," he said fondly.
She sighed and stood on tip-toe to kiss him.
Light could be seen flasing off the necklaces they both wore; a small blue pebble
dangling on the end of each.
CRYSTAL TEARS
END
Authors notes
WHEW! Finally, I'm done! This chapter took a while to be typed, but finally!
While I'm glad I finished, damn! I missed the deadline by two days! Now I'm gonna
have to dye my hair blond... Oh well, can't back out, I guess.
Thank you all for being so supportive while I was writing this. I'm glad you all
enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing it.
If you liked this story, then maybe you'll like my next work.
I'm gonna call it:
'Love Me...'
It will be a more mature kind of story. Yes, it will include 'ADULT' situations,
but the overall theme will be how we all have the power to forgive and move on.
I'm currently writing the prologue and the first two chapters. It will come
out soon.
Thank you all.
BlackDragon