Chapter # 4

Chapter # 4

Nerima, 1900's-

The wind died down and the dust settled. As the light faded, Akane got back up from crouching and turned around. She saw him, passed out in a slump and looking badly beaten. "Ranma! RANMA!!!" She ran over to his side and checked him over. He was badly scratched up with clothes torn. His eyes were even in…little swirlies? She laid him out in a more comfortable fashion and shook him slightly. Then more violently.

"Ranma! Ranma you baka wake up!" she couldn't help but shed a few tears as her fiancée was not responding. She laid her head on his battered chest and wept.

Kenshin could feel himself now. He was laying somewhere, no longer in the space, meaning that he must have made it to the light! Was he dead? No, assassins wouldn't be treated so well in the afterlife. His spirit moved within his body biding him to wake up. His lungs jerked to life taking in a huge breath of air as he gasped. Akane lifted her head and sat next to him, looking into his face for a good sign.

* I can smell it, * he thought, * It's the forest. I must still be on the battleground.* It was then that he could hear a girl's light whimper. He could not speak yet, but he knew who it was. Kenshin forced his eyes open. With blurred vision he could make out the face of a young, cute girl staring at him, overjoyed at his recovery. " K-K-Kaoru?" he said weakly.

Akane twisted backwards. In a hurt voice she clamored, "Kaoru? Kaoru! Who's Kaoru?!"

Kenshin was regaining his strength and sat upright. He blinked a few times and looked again. "Oro?"

Akane looked steamed. She slammed her fist into the earth and shouted, " 'Oro'? That's all you have to say is, 'oro'? Ranma! Is that the name of a new fiancée or what?!

Kenshin was shocked. He looked around. There was no one else there but him. The officers were gone, Sano was gone, and Kaoru was obviously absent. He looked at the girl and torked his head to one side. "Ranma? I'm sorry Miss but I think you've gotten me confused with-"

"Oh don't give me that, Mister Saotome!" Akane was furious and yanked Kenshin off the ground to his feet. "I know you've been hit harder than that before so don't even try to pretend you've got amnesia!"

It was then that Kenshin really looked at the girl. What odd clothes she wore! And for a woman to be taking such a tone to a man was very unusual! Just where the heck did that light sphere land him?! He would try once more and spoke in a soft of voice as ever, "Miss, please understand me. I don't think you know what you're saying."

The blue haired girl looked thoroughly peeved by now. She shot back brandishing a pointed finger, "Ranma! I know what you're up to! You're just making this up since I mentioned Dad was having trouble! You didn't even let me finish. I was at the dojo when Dad got a challenge in the mail. He wants us to take care of it. It takes place in one week. One Week! So shape up and train before I have to kick your butt myself!!!!"

The former Hitokiri Battousai was taken aback. Who was this girl, and just what was this all about? * Wait…* he thought to himself, * That boy that I missed in the abyss, he must be Ranma! I don't know how this all happened, but I've got to set this straight.* He looked back up as pleasant as ever. "Ok, ah, Miss, let's go then." He wasn't sure where he was or where he'd be going, but if he was going to get anywhere, he had only this tomboyish girl to guide him.

Akane tapped her foot and crossed her arms. After a minute she responded, "Yeah, Ok, Ranma. Let's go home. You can tell me all about this Kaoru person on they way." And she stomped off using the trail she made earlier.

The sakubattou was lying on the grass. Kenshin quickly noticed its location and picked it up. He became somewhat worried about his predicament pondering about this new adventure: * I hope that in this place it isn't awkward for me to carry a sword. Hopefully my clothes aren't totally out of style or else I'll stick out like a sore thumb. If I ever had to blend in my surroundings, it would be now.* He put the sword sheath in its place on his belt and followed the girl in front.

Kyoto, mid 1800's-

The room was quiet and still. Or was it his body? Ranma tried to slide up into sitting position but his head felt nauseous and he quickly laid down again. "Where am I?" he whispered. A clamorous amount of voices filled his head as he could sense several people surround him.

A voice softly called out to him, "Are you all right?"

"Yeah." He answered gruffly. "Oooh my head…" Ranma squeezed his eyes tight and opened them for the first time. His double vision interpreted a person with deep brown eyes and short hair. Ranma made an effort to smile. With obvious relief he irked out, "Akane? Is that you?"

Sanosuke punched him in the head causing Ranma to groan. Astonished by his rash action, Megumi scolded him, "Sano! Kenshin is just recovering! Don't hit him!"

He looked pertly at her and stated, "He called me by a girl's name. I think he must have been hit on the head."

"So you punch him?!"

"Well one blow deserves another!" he snapped. He then proceeded to poke Ranma's face. "Hmm…I'm surprised that one didn't bruise him."

Ranma swiftly grabbed Sanosuke's probing finger, sat up and jerked him forward. The sudden movement started all the people in the room, especially Sanosuke. Ranma looked around the room then at Sanosuke in the eyes. He said suspiciously, "Dude, you did not just do that. If you wanna fight don't just punch an injured guy!" He took one more look at his surroundings. "And just where the heck am I, huh? Where's Akane?" No one answered but only stared. "Did Ryoga put you up to this? Or the Old Freak?"

It was then that someone, off to the right, caught Ranma's eye. A lovely graceful and beautiful girl moved towards him with tears in her beautiful blue eyes. Ranma let go of Sanosuke's finger and dropped back to make room for the kimono-clad maiden. She looked at Ranma up and down before blubbering, "Kenshin! What's wrong with you? Why are you acting this way?"

Ranma just looked at her for a second before realizing she was talking about him! He rubbed his nose cutely and responded with a goofy smile and shrugging his arms. The rest of the company which included the graceful girl, another slightly older woman, a feisty-looking kid, and a young man who was definitely a fighter nearly fell over.

Ranma finally decided to break the awkward silence seeing as how all focus was one him. He turned towards the girl and said in a sincere a voice as a Saotome could muster, "Look, Lady, I don't know how you are, or how I got here, but I appreciate the gesture. Now seeing as how Akane needed to talk to me, I gotta run." He got up seemingly unhurt and walked towards the door. * A dojo?* he thought. "I'll, ah, keep in touch, okay? And Dude," pointing to a stunned Sanosuke, "We'll set up a day for a challenge, k?" With that he shut the door behind him.

Once outside Ranma leaned against the wooden doors of the traditional dojo. * Nice place.* he thought to himself as he strode to the main gate. He noticed the bandages about his forehead and started unwrapping them. * No need for these. I've been through worse. Maybe not as weird, but definitely worse.* and he let them drop to the ground. He didn't know where he was, but one thing was for sure, he'd made it back to life! The light must have undone whatever wrong had been caused. Now it was just a matter of getting home. He saluted the dojo before he opened the gate and left.